Kickass News

Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers, Talking to Strangers, Revisionist History podcast) talks about growing up in a Mennonite community in Ontario, Canada, his brief flirtation with conservatism in his youth, and how his father’s boundless curiosity inspired him to always ask questions.  We delve into the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the tragic George Floyd murder and some surprising parallels between African-Americans' relationship with the police and Britain’s heavy-handed approach to Irish Catholics during the 3-decade conflict known as "the Troubles."  Then Malcolm discusses podcasts as the antidote to our modern quick-hit news culture, he reveals that even HE is often surprised by what he discovers while making a podcast or writing a book, and he shares some of his favorite episodes of his podcast Revisionist History including the time he confronted the Law School Admission Council about the effectiveness of the LSAT and why he is now accusing art museums of being hoarders.  Plus Malcolm Gladwell on his obsession with a certain 19th-Century Russian poet and how quarantine has put a monkey wrench in his writing routine. 

Season 5 of Malcolm Gladwell's brilliant podcast Revisionist History debuts on Thursday, June 18.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit www.revisionisthistory.com for more information.  You can also keep up with Malcolm at www.gladwellbooks.com and on Twitter at @Gladwell.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Capella University's flexible online doctoral degree program.  Start exploring available programs and scholarship opportunities at capella.edu/doctorate.

Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace talks his five decades in broadcast journalism, following in the very big footsteps of his father Mike Wallace, what he’s learned from interviewing 7 different U.S. Presidents, and what it was like to date Walter Cronkite's daughter when he was a 16-year-old intern at CBS News.  Then he discusses his new book Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World.  He reveals how Harry Truman agonized over the decision to use the atomic bomb, the surprising dissenter among his military generals who warned against it, and how Truman broke the news of the bomb to Joseph Stalin.  He shares how the U.S. government managed to keep the enormous Manhattan Project under wraps, the many unknown variables that weighed on everyone involved in the mission, and his own touching experience of visiting the Enola Gay with an 80 year old Japanese woman who survived the Hiroshima blast.

Order Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  See Chris Wallace every weekend on Fox News Sunday and follow him on Twitter at @FoxNewsSunday.  Today's episode was sponsored by Capella University and Kronos HR solutions.

Actor Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire, The Shape of Water) discusses his new film about the complicated marriage of horror writer Shirley Jackson and literary critic Stanley Hyman, how Hyman influenced Shirley Jackson’s work, and how the filmmakers of Shirley imbued the movie with a distinctively Jackson-esque style.  Michael also talks about his prolific career on stage and screen from training in mime with Marcel Marceau to working with directors like Guillermo del Toro and the Coen Brothers.

See Michael in Shirley available on Hulu, Video-on-Demand, and participating Drive-Ins starting June 5.  Today's episode is sponsored by Black Rifle Coffee Company and Capella University.  Visit www.blackriflecoffee.com/kick and use promo code KICK for 20% off your purchase of Black Rifle's premium, roast to order coffees.  Explore Capella University's flexible doctoral degree programs at www.capella.edu/doctoral.

On the 40th Anniversary of CNN, journalist Lisa Napoli discusses the founding and "wild west" early years of the upstart network that set out to change how the news gets delivered and consumed.  Lisa reveals that few people to took Ted Turner seriously when he entered broadcasting and how Turner went from hating the news to founding the first all-news network in the basement of run-down former country club in Atlanta.  She talks about the skeptics who questioned whether there was a enough news to fill a whole day and how being on the air 24-hours gave CNN a decided advantage over the big three networks.  We also discuss Ted Turner’s political evolution, his flirtation with running for President, and his unlikely friendship with Fidel Castro.  Then we look back on the lasting legacy of Ted Turner on the network and the impact of CNN on the world of broadcast journalism.

Order Lisa Napoli's book Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow Lisa at www.lisanapoli.com or on Twitter at @LisaNapoli.  Today's episode was sponsored by Capella University.  Capella has created flexible doctoral programs that work with your schedule and can help you gain the skills you need to get where you want in your career.  Visit www.capella.edu/doctorate to learn more.

Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says America is facing a loneliness crisis.  He discusses the many physical and mental impacts of feeling lonely and reveals that chronic loneliness is just as bad for you as smoking and obesity.  He opens up about his bouts of loneliness during his life, how he came to realize that it’s much larger problem than he ever realized, and the U.S. Congressman who confided in him about his own struggle with loneliness.  Vivek explains the difference between someone who is genuinely lonely vs. someone who enjoys being alone, how loneliness can often disguise itself as other health problems, and how loneliness once served an evolutionary function but might be hurting us in modern society.  Then Vivek weighs in on the President’s handling of the Coronavirus pandemic, shares his insights from when he dealt with the Ebola and Zika outbreaks as Surgeon General, and offers advice for how to improve the quality of our online and socially distanced interactions during the quarantine.

Order Vivek Murthy's book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow him at www.vivekmurthy.com or on twitter at @Vivek_Murthy.  Today's episode was sponsored by Capella University.  Capella has created flexible doctoral programs that work with your schedule and can help you gain the skills you need to get where you want in your career.  Visit www.capella.edu/doctoraljourney to learn more.

Actress Sian Clifford (Fleabag, Vanity Fair) talks about starring as Diana Ingram, the British woman accused of helping cheat Who Wants to Be a Millionaire out of a million bucks, in AMC's 3-part limited series Quiz.  She recalls her memories of growing up watching Who Wants to Be A Millionaire with her own family and how the game show became a national obsession across the UK (and then all across the world).  She talks about working with Michael Sheen and Matthew McFadden on Quiz, what it felt like to sit in the real Who Wants to Be a Millionaire hot seat, and what she hopes will happen when the Charles and Diana Ingram’s conviction is up for appeal this year.  Plus Sian talks about her Emmy nominated role as Claire in the hit television series Fleabag and her longtime friendship with the shows creator and star Phoebe Waller Bridge.

See Sian Clifford in the three-part miniseries Quiz, premiering Sunday, May 31 at 10/9c on AMC.  Visit www.amc.com for more information.

David Frum, former speechwriter and special assistant to President George W Bush, talks about his new book Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy.  He discusses Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, how Trump is encouraging disinformation and dangerous conspiracy theories about this deadly virus, and whether Republicans may finally get on board with voting rights reforms now that it’s a literal matter of life and death.  He illuminates how President Trump’s dangerous pattern of decision making continually makes matters worse for him and the nation and says that Donald Trump is his own "deep state" constantly self-sabotaging his own agenda while well meaning advisors and civil servants desperately try to save Donald Trump from Donald Trump.  David describes Trumpism as a type of affinity fraud, asks what will happen when well-meaning Trump supporters realize that they’ve been duped, lays out Trump’s dark game plan for the 2020 election, and ponders what will become of the Republican party and our democratic institutions when Trump and Trumpism are relegated to the ash heap of history.

Order David Frum's book Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow David at www.davidfrum.com or on Twitter at @DavidFrum, and read more of David’s writing in the Atlantic Magazine.  Today's episode was sponsored by the podcast Afternoon CyberTea with Anne Johnson and Black Rifle Coffee Company.  BRCC makes premium, roast-to-order coffee, donated over 30,000lbs of coffee to troops overseas in 2019, and currently employ over 200 veterans. Visit www.blackriflecoffee.com/kick, and use promo code KICK for 20% off your purchase.

This is a rebroadcast of a November 5, 2018 interview with Roger Daltrey, founder/lead singer of The Who.  Roger discusses how the hardships experienced by Brits in WWII paved the way for the musical revolution of the 1960s, he recalls what it was like to be the poster-boys for the British “mod” movement (and why he never fully embraced the fad), and he remembers the “utter chaos” of performing at Woodstock. He talks about how he and Peter Townsend pushed each other’s creative boundaries during the making of the first rock opera Tommy, how he managed to resist the drug fueled excess the 60s, and how it led to quite a bit of tension with his bandmates - especially The Who’s famously reckless drummer Keith Moon. Roger also reveals how he processed Moon’s tragic death in 1978, how it led to the band’s breakup in the early 80s, and a how it took a Silicon Valley con man to finally reunite the band.  

Order Roger Daltrey's new book Thanks a Lot, Mr. Kibblewhite: My Story on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow The Who on twitter at @TheWho.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Patton Oswalt recalls coming up as a comedian at the dawn of the alt comedy scene, his first gig in Hollywood as a writer for Mad TV, and his prolific side gig as a script doctor on some of the biggest box-office hits of the past two decades.  He reminisces about his friendship with the owner of LA’s most famous revival cinema and his love of the films of Billy Wilder and Sidney Lumet.  Then Patton discusses his new Netflix special Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything, finding love again after the death of his first wife, and turning 50.  Plus he talks about going to college in that wild party town of colonial Williamsburg, the time he donated to the crowdfunding page of one of his Twitter trolls, and how he got Netflix to build him a house for his new comedy special!

Watch Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything streaming on Netflix beginning May 19.  Follow Patton at www.pattonoswalt.com or on Twitter at @PattonOswalt.

Dr. Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, returns to discuss his new book The World: A Brief Introduction. He explains the foreign relations implications of the current pandemic, his concerns that the crisis may lead to more nationalism and isolationism instead of greater cooperation, and what the pandemic might mean for US-China relations. He addresses why terms like "world order" and "globalism" are such hot buttons for many Americans and why the negatives of globalism and trade often overshadow the many benefits. Dr. Haass talks about why we are still struggling to define the current post-Cold War period, and he proposes that the world may need to rethink its ideas about national sovereignty to address problems that know no borders such as COVID-19 and climate change. Then he outlines the most urgent global issues of the 21st Century, the regions of the world that worry him the most, and why he believes that the US might not want to get out of the nation-building business just yet.

Order Dr. Richard Haass's book The World: A Brief Introduction on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold. Learn more about the Council on Foreign Relations at www.cfr.org and follow Richard on Twitter at @RichardHaass. Today's episode was sponsored by Black Rifle Coffee Company.  BRCC makes premium, roast-to-order coffee, donated over 30,000lbs of coffee to troops overseas in 2019, and currently employ over 200 veterans. Visit www.blackriflecoffee.com/kick, and use promo code KICK for 20% off your purchase.

General Stanley McChrystal talks about the myths and reality of leadership.  He shares how he came to reassess the legacy of his military hero General Robert E. Lee in the aftermath of Charlottseville, how he personally learned that the man at the top often gets credit he doesn’t deserve, and why leaders aren’t always judged by their results.  He discusses a 15th century Chinese admiral who has become the symbol for that country’s global ambitions, why he didn’t realize that Coco Chanel was a real person, and one leadership flaw that he shares with Walt Disney.  He reveals why he decided to include his former enemy in combat Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the book, and what it was like to get into the dark mind of the Al Qaeda in Iraq leader.  This episode is a rebroadcast of an interview that originally aired on November 19, 2018.

Order General McChrystal's book Leaders: Myth and Reality on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz talk about TCM's new podcast The Plot Thickens: I'm Still Peter Bogdanovich.  Ben reveals that he was initially nervous to meet Peter because of a longstanding controversy involving Ben’s grandfather, Orson Welles, and Citizen Kane.  Peter shares stories about his friendships with Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks, John Ford, and many others, and how their advice kept him from making some rookie mistakes when he eventually got to sit in the director's chair himself.  He remembers making his first movie for Roger Corman with horror icon Boris Karloff, how he tricked the government of Singapore into letting him film the movie Saint Jack, and the scene that earned a 9-year-old Tatum O’Neal an Oscar for Paper Moon...but only after 2 days of shooting and 25 grueling takes!  Peter discusses envy and success in Hollywood, his relationships with Cybill Shepherd and Dorothy Stratten, and how he managed to finish his favorite film They All Laughed in the wake of Stratten’s tragic murder. Then Ben Mankiewicz talks about the films of Edward G. Robinson, the passion that his fans have for Turner Classic Movies and the films of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and why he hopes (and indeed predicts) that moviegoers will eventually return to theaters when the Coronavirus finally subsides.  Plus Peter does impressions of everyone from Cary Grant to Jimmy Stewart, recalls some of the famous movies that he turned down, and the time he got his ass kicked by the real Hell’s Angels on set!

Subscribe to The Plot Thickens: I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Learn more at www.theplotthickens.tcm.com.  Follow Ben Mankiewicz on twitter at @BenMank77 and see him host some of the greatest films of all time every week on Turner Classic Movies.  While you're at it, go back and watch some of Peter Bogdanovich's terrific films starting with my personal favorites The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon, What’s Up Doc, They All Laughed, and Saint Jack.

Today's episode was sponsored by Black Rifle Coffee Company and Demand Justice.  Black Rifle Coffee Company sells delicious premium roast-to-order coffee, employs 200 Veterans, and donates tens of thousands of bags of coffee to troops overseas and medical workers on the front lines of the pandemic.  Go to www.blackriflecoffee.com/kick to order and use promo code KICK for 20% off.  Demand Justice is fighting the politicization of the Supreme Court and protect every American's right to vote in the 2020 Election.  Visit www.demandjustice.org/kick to learn more and support voting rights.

Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and Ben Schwartz (Parks and Rec) talk about their improv training at Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade, the fateful day they joined forces to become the improv team of Middleditch & Schwartz, and how they still get a kick out of trying to make each other crack up on stage.  They reveal what it’s like to make-up a 45 minute play as they go along, how they keep as many as 20 characters straight (and even switch characters during a performance), and what happens when one of them ends the sketch, but the other one keeps on going.  Then they discuss the transition from doing a performance that exists entirely in the moment to recording them for all eternity for their new Netflix specials.  Plus Middleditch and Schwartz talk about their obsession with Daniel Day Lewis, the night they played Carnegie Hall, and more.

Their three completely improvised comedy specials Middleditch & Schwartz are now streaming on Netflix.  Follow Thomas on Instagram at @Tombini, follow Ben on Twitter at @RejectedJokes, and visit their website www.middleditchandschwartz.com.  Today's episode was sponsored by Demand Justice.  Visit www.demandjustice.org/kick to learn more and support voting rights in 2020.

Comedy writer Alan Zweibel starting his career selling jokes for seven dollars apiece to the last of the Borscht Belt standups, some of the old comedians who are still using the same material that he wrote for them 40 years ago, and his very first manager, who served as the inspiration for Woody Allen’s Broadway Danny Rose.  He recalls his early attempt at performing, carpooling to clubs with a young Billy Crystal, and the night he bombed on stage but caught the attention of Lorne Michaels.  He his shares his memories of being one of the first writers at Saturday Night Live, his special relationship with the late Gilda Radner, and some of his creative battles with the network censors at NBC.  Alan also discusses the genius of Garry Shandling, the delights and difficulties of working with him on the groundbreaking It’s Garry Shandling's Show, and what it’s like to be in Larry David’s world on Curb Your Enthusiasm.  Plus the comedian who paid him by the pound, the infamous night when Milton Berle hosted Saturday Night Live, and the charity auction that went horribly wrong (and then inspired Alan’s next movie).

Order Alan Zweibel's terrific memoir Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow Alan on Twitter at @AlanZweibel or at www.alanzweibel.com, and look for his new movie Here Today starring Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish coming out this Fall.  Today's episode was sponsored by Demand Justice.  Visit www.demandjustice.org/kick to learn more and support voting rights in 2020.  

Wagner Moura discusses how his first career as a journalist informs his acting, what it was like to play ruthless drug lord Pablo Escobar on Netflix’s Narcos, and how he gained (and then lost) all of that weight for the role.  He talks about his fascination with the late UN diplomat Sergio de Mello, playing him in the new film Sergio, and how Iraq might have turned out very differently if de Mello had lived to complete his mission there.  He says working with war correspondent and documentary filmmaker Greg Barker added extra authenticity to Sergio, he reveals that they even used real-life refugees as extras on the film, and he suggests that the political leaders who are now dealing with the Coronavirus could learn from Sergio de Mello's example.  

See Wagner Moura in Sergio, no streaming on Netflix.  Today's episode was sponsored by Demand Justice.  Visit www.demandjustice.org/kick to learn more and support voting rights in 2020.  

Nathan Lane talks about why his fans always think he’s Jewish, how his older brother inspired him to get into acting, and some of roles he’s played on Broadway in shows like from Guys and Dolls to The Producers.  He laments the that the Coronavirus could have a lasting impact on the theatre, but says that he is hoping to soon realize his lifelong dream of starring in Death of a Salesman on Broadway.  He discusses starring in the return of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful, how the new season transports the show from Victorian London to California on the cusp of World War II, and what it was like to finally star in something where he gets an actual stunt double.  He reveals his love for the noir detective fiction of Raymond Chandler, how Penny Dreadful exposes the social tensions simmering under the surface of  1930s LA, and how his character was partly inspired by a real attorney turned Nazi hunter.  Plus Nathan remembers the late playwright Terrence McNally, George C. Scott as Noel Coward, and the grueling experience of starring with 80s TV magician Doug Henning in the notorious Broadway musical flop Merlin.

See Nathan Lane in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels premiering this Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.  Visit www.showtime.com for more information.  Today's episode is sponsored by Demand Justice.  Visit www.demandjustice.org/kick to join the fight to protect voting rights. 

Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry talk about their new film Bad Therapy, and how the filmmaker's own nightmare experience with a couples counselor inspired the movie.  Alicia shares memories from Clueless, and stories from working with playwright David Mamet and the late Peter O’Toole.  Rob talks about his original audition for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, some of the low-budget, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants field pieces that he did in the early days of the show, and why he always gets cast as creepy assholes and pedophiles!

See Rob and Alicia's new film Bad Therapy on Video on Demand, and follow them on Twitter at @AliciaSilv and @robcorddry.

Comedian Dan Whitney talks about the origins of his popular character "Larry the Cable Guy," his education in southern redneck culture while going to college in Florida, and how Larry went from being a bit he did on talk radio shows to a wildly popular stage act.  He shares some of his comedic inspirations, how he tests out new jokes on Twitter, and what he does when people on social media don’t like his politics.  He also discusses what touring with his pal Jeff Foxworthy and his unlikely friendship with comedian Lewis Black.  Plus "Larry the Cable Guy" weighs in on the sketchy crowd at Walmart after midnight, his love/hate relationship with the county fair, and how he is surviving the Coronavirus quarantine.

His new comedy special LARRY THE CABLE GUY: REMAIN SEATED is now available through Comedy Dynamics Network on Comcast, Amazon Prime Video, Spectrum, Apple TV, Dish, Google Play, DirecTV, Vimeo, YouTube, and other streaming platforms.  You can also listen to the album on SirusXM, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Sound Cloud, and more. Visit www.larrythecableguy.com and follow him on twitter at @GitRDoneLarry.

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee is a Pulitzer Prize-winning best-selling author and a doctor at the forefront of cancer and genetic research.  He talks about a new two-part documentary that he and Ken Burns produced for PBS titled The Gene: An Intimate History.  He discusses the fascinating history of the genetic research and those scientists who have worked to understand heredity.  He shares how the eugenics movement set legitimate genetic research back in the early 20th Century and why, even today, the specter of eugenics still looms large as scientists ponder the possibility of gene editing and designer babies.  Dr. Murkergee talks about how an unlikely public/private partnership accomplished the monumental task of sequencing the entire human genome and how modern day gene hunters are using that information to potentially treat some of the world’s rarest and most debilitating diseases.  He also revels how that same research could be applied to treating and even curing major diseases like cancer and how genetic science is currently playing a vital role in the fight against the Coronavirus.

Part 2 of The Gene: An Intimate History airs Tuesday 4/14 on PBS.  You can also stream Part 1 and 2 on www.PBS.org and other PBS streaming platforms.  Visit Siddhartha Mukherjee at www.siddharthamukherjee.com and follow him on Twitter at @DrSidMukherjee.

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler discusses how his own battle to control his weight helped inspire him to write a book about the health dangers of processed foods.  He explains the difference between how our bodies digest fast carbs and slow carbs and why fad diets that cut out carbs all together might not be such a good idea.  David outlines the long list of diseases that can be traced to heavy consumption of processed foods, some of the tricks that the food industry employs to mislead consumers about what is in many processed foods, and he suggests some changes that he would like to make to the nutritional labels that he helped create when he was head of the FDA under Presidents Bush and Clinton.  He also expresses his concern over America's heavy reliance on processed junk foods at a time when fresh meats and produce are in short supply, he shares what he is saying to former Vice-President Joe Biden as a member of the Biden campaign's Coronavirus advisory committee, and he gives his own practical health recommendations for keeping your family safe from COVID-19.

Order Dr. David Kessler's book Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs: The Simple Truth About Food, Weight, and Disease on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow Dr. Kessler on Twitter at @DavidKesslerMD.

Actor Vincent Cassel (Ocean's 12, Black Swan, Jason Bourne) talks about joining the cast of one of his favorite TV series Westworld, playing a reclusive billionaire with a dark view of humanity, and how his character attempts to make order out of chaos.  Vincent discusses how Westworld Season 3 deals with the very real problem of big data (and who controls it) and says that it has inspired him to be a lot more careful about the information that he shares on his devices.  He also reminisces about the career of his father, famous french actor Jean-Pierre Cassel, and how Gene Kelly discovered his dad on the movie An American in Paris.  He recalls being heavily influenced by Hollywood films as a kid, learning to tap dance from Broadway legend Michael Bennett, and why he originally tried to join the circus before getting into acting.  Vincent reveals how he persuaded director Steven Soderbergh to let him do his own stunts in Ocean's 12, how an acting teacher inspired his role as the controlling choreographer in Black Swan, and why this Frenchman always seems to get cast as a Russian.

See Vincent Cassel in Season 3 of Westworld, airing Sundays on HBO.  Today's episode was sponsored by the podcast Afternoon CyberTea with Ann Johnson.

Actor Tom Pelphrey talks about playing Laura Linney's brother in Season 3 of Ozark and what it’s like to work with Jason Bateman as a director.  He also discusses his upcoming role as legendary Hollywood director Joseph Mankiewicz in David Fincher’s film Mank.  He recalls his early days working on the soap operas Guiding Light and As the World Turns, keeping up with the grueling production schedule of daytime television, and how it requires an actor to memorize fast and think on their feet.  He discusses the learning curve involved with switching from soaps to film and primetime television, his popular roles on the hit series Banshee and Iron Fist, and whether Marvel fans or soap-opera fans are the most obsessive.

Season 3 of Ozark is streaming now on Netflix.  Look for Mank coming out on Netflix this fall and follow Tom on Twitter at @Tom Pelphrey.  Today's episode was sponsored by the podcast Afternoon Cyber Tea with Anne Johnson.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich reports on the Coronavirus crisis from Italy, where his wife Callista serves as U.S. Ambassador the Vatican.  He offers some lessons for America from Italy’s early failure to stop the spread, some tips from what he say of South Korea’s successful containment of the virus, and his own theory of how COVID-19 made it’s way from China to Milan.  He also talks about how the pandemic will affect US-China relations, how he hopes it could lead to regime change in Iran, and how to best address the economic impact here at home in America.  Newt is also out with a new novel to help distract from the stress of these difficult times, and he discusses how top secret military research from World War II and the Cold War inspired the plot of his latest book, why the Russians make the perfect perennial villains, how the murderous Iranian General Qasem Soleimani lives on in his latest book, and how to kill a man with a poisonous snail!

Order Newt Gingrich's new book SHAKEDOWN: A NOVEL on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Check out his podcast Newt’s World wherever you listen to podcasts, visit his website at www.gingrich360.com, and follow him on twitter at @NewtGingrich.

Vice Media’s President of Global News and Entertainment Jesse Angelo and Vice reporter Isobel Yeung discuss the move of Vice's flagship television program VICE from HBO to Showtime.   Isobel talks about her groundbreaking coverage of the Syrian civil war and China’s forced detention of Uighur muslims.  She shares what’s it like doing serious journalism in authoritarian nations where media is tightly controlled, and Jesse discusses the complicated process of keeping his reporters safe in those places.  Jesse also talks about his move from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to the free-wheeling culture at Vice, why Vice will focus on under-reported stories beyond our borders while the rest of the media obsess over the election in 2020, and how he sees Vice filling a demand for grittier, less-produced news
in contrast to the more traditional cable news outlets.

The new season of VICE premieres this Sunday, March 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.  Visit www.vice.com for more information and follow Isobel and Jesse on Twitter at @isobelyeung and @jessemangelo.  Today's episode was sponsored by American Home Shield.  American Home Shield,
America’s most preferred home warranty, gives you a plan when stuff breaks down in your home.  Go to www.ahs.com/kick today to save $50, and start protecting your home and budget from inevitable breakdowns.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family, Men in Black, Get Shorty) talks recalls his first gig out of film school as a cameraman for adult films, working with Joel and Ethan Coen on their debut picture Blood Simple, and why you never want to receive a cake on a Coen Bros movie.  Barry discusses his difficulties working with Penny Marshall on Big, how Rob Reiner taught him about something called “the silent schmuck,” and why he and Danny Devito had such a hard time convincing a studio to make Get Shorty.  He talks about his fight with Larry David over who is the most neurotic person on the planet, his astounding ability to beat any celebrity at leg wrestling, and his secret to making children cry on camera.  Plus what it is like to work with Will Smith and bunch of Confederate Civil War reenactors, Eleanor Roosevelt Jokes, and more.

Order Barry's new book Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.

Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer says it's not just enough for Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in 2020, but they have to defeat Trumpism in the long-run.  He recalls witnessing some of the early signs of Trumpism when he was White House Communications Director under President Obama, and he explains how the Democratic party was allowed to collapse during the Obama years.  Dan believes that voter expansion is the key to Democrats victory in 2020 and beyond, he suggests a host of ideas to grow the voter rolls from granting statehood to the District of Columbia to enfranchising 16 year-olds, and he offers proposals for how make the Presidency more resilient against corruption and abuse of power in the future.  He talks about the resurgence of Joe Biden’s campaign, whether Bernie still has a shot at the nomination, and what we can learn from the failed campaign of Michael Bloomberg.  Plus Dan reveals the right wing media organization that he says is more dangerous than Breitbart and bigger than Fox News, the person Dan calls the worst person in American politics (hint: it’s not Donald Trump), and he let’s loose on his favorite punching bag -
former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. 

Order Dan Pfeiffer's new book Un-Trumping America: A Plan to Make America a Democracy Again.  Listen and subscribe to Dan’s podcast Pod Save America on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen, and follow him on twitter at @danpfeiffer.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos HR solutions.  Visit www.kronos.com/hrswagger to learn more.

Hank Azaria talks about his 31 seasons on The Simpsons, a few of the 150 plus characters he’s played on the show, and some of the classic movie stars who inspired some of his popular voices for The Simpsons.  Hank reveals how he came up with his distinctive sports announcer voice for IFC's Brockmire, he does his best to sell me on the great American pastime, but admits that often times Major League Baseball can’t get out of its own way.  We discuss Brockmire Season 4’s dystopian vision of the future 10 years down the line and why it might not be too far from reality.  Plus the tortured genius of Peter Sellers, Hank’s love for the original man of 1000 voices Mel Blanc, and he reveals which of his many characters from The Simpsons is his favorite.

The 4th and final season of Brockmire premieres March 18 at 10PM ET on IFC.  Today's episode was sponsored by the podcast Afternoon Cyber Tea.  Join Ann Johnson, Corporate Vice President for Cybersecurity Solutions at Microsoft
on Afternoon Cyber Tea, and learn from cybersecurity experts about defending your organization and systems from attack.  Subscribe to Afternoon Cyber Tea on on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and PodcastOne. 

This is a rebroadcast of a 2017 interview with John McEnroe, who talks about tennis, his famous temper, and his book But Seriously.  He discusses winning his first grand slam at age 20, his life after the pros, and a recurring nightmare he has about his 1984 French Open match with Ivan Lendl.  McEnroe talks about some of his famous arguments with tennis umpires, and how his temper helped his game in his younger years but he says it held him back later in his career.  He’ll handicap this year’s Wimbledon finals, give his characteristically frank take on the state of the game and a few things he’d like to do away with in tennis.  Plus, he’ll even give me a few tips on how to improve my serve.  John McEnroe's book But Seriously on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  

Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Cohen tells how a child-hood basketball game first got him interested in the mystery of winning streaks, how his work as a sports writer only further convinced him that there is such a thing as being "in the zone," and what recent science has to say about it.  He also describes how streaks can negatively bias everyone from baseball umpires to asylum judges, warns there’s an important corollary to the "Hot Hand" that can cost you big-time, and cautions that there’s a big difference between streaks that can be harnessed and those that can’t.  Plus Ben shares a tip from baseball on how to tell if you can capitalize on a streak, some advice from basketball star Steph Curry on when to take more risks, and the story of how Shakespeare wrote some of his greatest works in the most unlikely of times.

Order his book THE HOT HAND: The Mystery and Science of Streaks on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Read his reporting regularly in the Wall Street Journal and follow him on Twitter at @bzcohen.  Today's episode is sponsored by American Home Shield, the nation's largest home warranty provider.  Visit www.ahs.com/kick for $50 off ANY plan.

Rob Riggle returns to shares his lifelong love of history and why he wanted to blend comedy and education for his new series Rob Riggle: Global Investigator.  He discusses a few of his recent adventures from searching for the Holy Grail to diving for pirate treasure.  Rob what it’s like to play a “heightened version of himself” on the show, and what happens when some fans don’t know the difference between the real Rob and his character.  Plus Rob braves snakes, caves, sharks, quicksand, UFO’s, and more!

Rob Riggle: Global Investigator premieres Sunday March 8 at 10PM ET on Discovery.  Visit www.discovery.com for more information and follow Rob on twitter at @RobRiggle.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos HR solutions.

Actor Bryan Cranston recalls a difficult childhood and the two year road trip that changed his life.  He shares some of his adventures before acting including traveling as a carny, catching shoplifters as security guard, and the time he ended up a suspect in a murder investigation.  He talks about getting a crash course in comedy from Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, landing the role of a lifetime on Breaking Bad, and how he built one of the most iconic characters in the history of television.  Bryan Cranston also gives some advice for aspiring actors, reveals how his life has changed since "Walter White," and why he loves making small talk with old people.

Order Bryan Cranston's bestselling memoir A Life in Parts on Amazon or download the audiobook at www.audible.com.  Follow Bryan on Twitter at @BryanCranston.

Vox co-founder Ezra Klein reveals how America's political system is polarizing us and how we are polarizing it with disastrous results.  He explains that the Founding Fathers planned for many things, but they did not designed a system of government that was intended to function effectively in times of hyper partisanship.  He points out that politics came into being to represent deep social cleavages, but now politics is the cleavage, and our political affiliation has grown into a mega-identity that is consuming our lives, making us angrier, and destroying friendships and families.  We discuss how politicians and voters got stuck in a feedback loop of negative partisanship and how polarization has lead many of our leaders in Washington to conclude that bipartisanship is actually irrational. Plus we discuss how demographic threat is fueling political anger, how the rise of extremism correlates with a decline in the influence of parties, and Ezra offers a few recipes for how to reunite the country and make America more democratic.

Order Ezra Klein's new book Why We're Polarized on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Read his political analysis at vox.com, follow him on Twitter at @ezraklein, and subscribe to The Ezra Klein Show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Wave.

Adam Davidson, creator of NPR's Planet Money podcast
and award-winning New Yorker staff writer, says that the 21st-century economic paradigm offers new ways of making money,
fresh paths toward professional fulfillment, and unprecedented opportunities for curious, ambitious individuals to combine the things they love with their careers.  He talks about his father and grandfather as examples of two different approaches to work and money, and says we’re entering an economy that combines the best of both.  How explains how to tell between a hobby and a passion, how globalization and the internet allow you to monetize that passion like never before, and why it’s important to have what he calls "the Goldilocks of business models" to avoid getting undercut or replaced by bigger companies, foreign competition, or automation.  Plus he shares some surprising examples of people who are making the passion economy work for them including one man who only sells to the Amish, a brush company that took the most basic of products and turned it into a high-priced specialty item for NASA, and an accountant who found his passion  by helping others pursue their own.

Order Adam's new his book The Passion Economy: The New Rules for Thriving in the Twenty-First Century on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold, and follow Adam at www.adamdavidson.com or on Twitter at @adamdavidson.  Today's episode is sponsored Wave and American Home Shield.

Comedian Whitmer Thomas talks about returning to his hometown to film his first hour-long comedy special at Alabama's legendary Flora-Bama Lounge where his late mother used to perform with her band Syntwister.  He says his music and comedy is his way of honoring his mom, and in a way, he’s now fulfilling her dream by pursuing his own.  We also discuss some of his most recent skating injuries, what it was like touring with comedian Bo Burnham, and how he went from being an angst-ridden emo kid in high school to parodying emo bands in his act.  Plus we talk about Pee Wee Herman, Donald Trump, Blink 182 as the ultimate parody band, his early obsession with Zach Galifianakis, and the time a 3-year-old Whitmer got kidnapped by his own obsessed fan!

His hour-long comedy special Whitmer Thomas: The Golden One debuts on HBO on February 22 at 10PM E/P.  Follow him on Twitter at @WhitmerThomas.  Today's episode was sponsored by Online Trading Academy and Wave.

Actor Scoot McNairy talks about starring in season 2 of Narcos: Mexico as a DEA agent who heads an "off-the-books" operation to avenge the death of a fellow agent and take down a ruthless drug lord.  He recalls growing up in Texas, coping with dyslexia as a kid, and his early ambition to be a wildlife cinematographer.  He discusses how he prepares for a role and how most of his characters are drawn from a personal friend or acquaintance.  He discusses spending time with real DEA agents for Narcos: Mexico, goes into the history of the Mexican narcotics cartels, and speaks frankly about the endless war on drugs.

Watch Season 2 of Narcos: Mexico now streaming on Netflix.  Today's episode was sponsored by Wave.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin talks about executive producing the History Channel miniseries Washington, some things she’s observed from watching Steven Spielberg on the set of Lincoln, and how the collaborative process of making Washington helped her through her husband's death.  She discuss why she wanted to go beyond the highlights of George Washington’s life to explore the real man, and she debunks and confirms some common legends about our founding father.  Doris reveals the long held personal grudge that led George Washington to join the American Revolution, the intense ambition that drove him to succeed, and how owning and exploiting slaves became essential to that success.

The three night television event Washington begins Sunday February 16 at 8PM E/P on The History Channel.  Today's episode was sponsored by Wave and Kronos.

The Washington Post's DC bureau chief Philip Rucker discusses his new book A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America.  He shares stories from White House insiders about the time President Trump tried to overturn the Foreign Corrupt Practices act so American businesses could bribe foreign governments, the time Trump wanted to turn a profit on the US military by turning our troops into a mercenary force, and the Pentagon meeting when Trump called his decorated generals a bunch of "babies and losers."  Phil discusses the falling out between the President and his former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, how some world leaders have tried to turn Trump against his own advisors, and how the most powerful leader in the world solicited other heads of state for the Nobel Prize.  Plus we talk about Impeachment, Trump tweets, Bolton, Mueller, and more.

Order A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  You can read more by Philip Rucker in The Washington Post and follow him on twitter at @philliprucker.  Today's episode was sponsored by Online Trading Academy and Native deodorant and toothpaste.

In this age of insurmountable consumption of media where bad news travels fast from all directions, comedian Tom Papa wants to remind us to take care of ourselves, embrace who you’ve become, and absorb the beauty of life in his new Netflix special Tom Papa: You're Doing Great!  He reveals where his trademark optimism comes from, why he rejects the cynicism often associated with standup comedy, and what he learned about being true to your comedic voice while touring with Jerry Seinfeld.  He opens up about his anxiety over sending his daughter off to college and warning her that most men’s “nice guy act” is a total fraud.  Plus Tom talks about his own real life ghost story, the lie of social media, the myth of "the good old days," and the symbiotic relationship between baking and writing comedy.

Tom’s new standup special Tom Papa: You're Doing Great is now streaming on Netflix, and look for his book You're Doing Great in stores May 12.  Visit www.tompapa.com for his upcoming tour dates and follow him on twitter at @TomPapa.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Wave. Wave's easy-to-use invoicing software, allows you to customize your invoices, look professional, and get paid faster for your work.  Create your account at www.waveapps.com/kick and get started with 100% free and unlimited invoicing

Professor Allan J. Lichtman explains why he feels that it is necessary for America to repeal the Second Amendment to clear the way for sensible gun reforms and clarifies that repealing the Second Amendment does not mean that the Federal government is going to take your guns away.  Professor Lichtman discusses why the outrage following every mass shooting quickly devolves into inaction by politicians, how the gun regulation lobby more effective can become more effective, and how to debunk some of the myths about gun violence propagated by the NRA.  He tells the history of the National Rifle Association from its origins as a group intended to improve marksmanship in 1871 to the power special interest lobby that it is today.  Plus the man who has successfully predicted the last 8 elections shares his data on the 2020 race, why election polls are failing us, and his thoughts on the Impeachment of Donald Trump.

Order his book Repeal the Second Amendment: The Case for a Safer America on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow him on Twitter at @AllanLicthman.

Comedian Russell Peters talks about his life as a middle-aged man dealing with health issues, relationships and fatherhood.  He discusses filming his new standup special Russell Peters: Deported in Mumbai, whether he’d consider doing a Bollywood movie, and why he was exposed to black culture more than his own Indian heritage when he was growing up in Toronto.  Russell recalls getting some early mentorship from the late George Carlin, becoming the first comedian to hit it big on YouTube, and how he still maintains a sense of intimacy when performing in stadiums before tens of thousands of people.  

Watch Russell Peters: Deported on Amazon Prime Video.  Keep up with Russell at www.russellpeters.com and on twitter at @therealrussellp.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Wave.  Wave helps freelancers, consultants, and small business owners make, move, and manage your money with accounting, invoicing, payments, and payroll services that are easy-to-use, secure, and free.  Visit www.waveapps.com/kick.

Republican political strategist Rick Wilson follows up his #1 Bestseller Everything Trump Touches Dies with a detailed playbook for how Democrats can defeat Trump in 2020.  He warns Democratic candidates that this election is not about policy but a simple referendum on the presidency of Donald Trump.  He also suggests that this race will be settled in fewer than 15 states, and Democrats need to focus on winning in the electoral college instead getting lulled into a false sense of security by Trump's poor poll numbers.  He also says that this election will be a knock-down, drag-out bar fight unlike any others, and Dems should be prepared to go after Trump on his perceived strength - the economy, impeachment, and even his family.

Order Rick's book Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump --and Democrats from Themselves on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Rick at www.therickwilson.com or on twitter at @TheRickWilson, and look for his regular column at www.thedailybeast.com.

Neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist Dr. Daniel Levitin reveals that growing old is a lot more than just a gradual period of decline and indeed we get better at many aspects of life as we age.  He explains how memory really works, why online brain games probably don’t do all that they promise, and how taking up a new hobby or starting a second career could be the best thing for keeping the mind sharp.  Dan debunks most longevity diets and supplements as well as a whole bunch of common myths from the idea that old people get more depressed to the belief that the elderly need less sleep.  Plus Dan shares the secrets of some of the world's sharpest and most active seniors
from former Secretary of State George Shultz to the Dalai Lama.

Order Dan's new book Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Dan at www.daniellevitin.com or on twitter at @DanLevitin.  Today's episode was sponsored by Wave invoicing software.

Seven Worlds, One Planet is a seven part television event that marks the first time that BBC Studio’s Emmy-winning Natural History Unit has explored all the planet’s continents in a single series. Executive producer Jonny Keeling, and producers Emma Napper and Chadden Hunter discuss how BBC documentaries have turned nature programming into global television events, the logistics of filming on seven continents at once, and how their first episode is hoping raise awareness and support for fire relief efforts in Australia. They talk about some North American polar bears who have found a surprising way to adapt to climate change, how agriculture is threatening over 2000 endangered species in South America, and how Pacific fisherman who had nearly driven the whale shark extinct but are now finding ways to help this magnificent creature thrive again. Plus snakes, scary kangaroos, the real Tasmanian Devil, and a monkey that looks like Don King!

The seven-part series premiere of Seven Worlds, One Planet airs on Saturday, January 18th at 9:00 pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA, AMC, IFC and SundanceTV.  Visit www.bbcamerica.com for more information.  Today's episode was sponsored by Online Trading Academy.

Director/writer Greta Gerwig discusses her Oscar nominated film adaptation of the beloved classic Little Women, how she imbued her movie with even more of author Louisa May Alcott's own personality, and why it was important for her to give a nod to the author's original intended ending.  She talks about the status of female directors and writers in Hollywood, recalls a conversation she once had with a studio executive about how women talk, and how Meryll Streep inspired some of the film's most insightful dialogue about a woman’s role in 19th Century society.  Greta also reveals that she was secretly pregnant while filming Little Women and what it is like to be in competition with her husband Noah Baumbach for Best Picture this year.  Plus we talk about why actresses in the 30’s and 40’s got better roles than they do today, our mutual love of the films of George Cukor and Greta Garbo, and the wicked wit of Dorthy Parker.

See Greta Gerwig's wonderful film Little Women in theaters now.  Check your local listings for showtimes or visit www.littlewomen.movie.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos HR Solutions.

Drs. Daniel J. Siegel and TIna Payne Bryson, the bestselling authors of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline discuss their new book The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired.  They explain what it means to really show up for your children and how your interactions with your kids shape the course of their lives and literally altering their physical brain.  They discuss the latest discoveries in attachment science, some tips for encouraging the "baby scientist" in you kid, and why sometimes with children, it’s best to answer a question with a question.  Plus we talk about the perils of hyper-parenting, the difference between soothing a child and coddling them, and how even people who experienced neglect and abuse from their own parents can break the cycle for the next generation.

Order Daniel and Tina's book The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's episode is sponsored by Native Deodorant.  Visit www.nativedeodorant.com and use promo code KICK for 20% off your first purchase.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power recalls her early years as a freelance journalist covering the Siege of Sarajevo, how her Pulitzer-winning book about genocide got the attention of a young Senator Barack Obama, and what it was like for her to go from being an idealistic human rights advocate on the outside of government to working for change in the White House and at the U.N.  She gives an inside account of the discussions in the Oval Office over how to handle the Syrian civil war and talks about how deeply that crisis affected her.  Plus Ambassador Power discusses the rise of China, America’s loss of moral authority under President Trump, and the power of empathy and understanding in politics and diplomacy.

Order Samantha Power's book The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with her at www.samanthapower.com and on twitter at @SamanthaJPower.

Dan Buettner has become an expert on longevity ever since he wrote his groundbreaking National Geographic article on the Blue Zones, the five places in the world where the most people live to 100 or older.  One of the key factors is diet, and Dan has been studying what the oldest people in the world eat for more than 15 years.  He reveals the health benefits of dietary monotony and periodic fasting, why HOW you eat is just as important as WHAT you eat, and why you want to load up on beans and veggies instead of meat and eggs.  He shares some cooking secrets that he learned in the kitchens of grandmas in all five of the Blue Zones, including a Sardinian minestrone that has all the properties of a "superfood," a simple dish that he calls healthiest breakfast in the world, and the Greek Island of Ikaria’s unique take on the Mediterranean diet.  He talks about traveling to Okinawa, Japan with his remarkably spry 84-year-old dad, and visiting 100 year old Costa Rican cowboy who still goes riding every day.

Order Dan's new bestselling cookbook The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.  Learn more at www.bluezones.com and follow him on Twitter at @bluezones.

Dr. Phil McGraw says that some of his guests still surprise him even after 2000+ episodes of his #1 daytime talk show The Dr. Phil Show.  He recalls how losing a football game in junior high school inspired him to go into psychology, what it was like to go into practice with his father, and why he eventually decided to go from getting into the minds of his patients to getting into the minds of juries as a trial consultant.  He explains how that put him into contact with Oprah Winfrey, how he convinced her to move her entire TV operation to Amarillo, Texas for 3 months during the famous mad cow beef trial, and why he was initially hesitant when Oprah first invited him to come on her show.  He discusses his belief that problems are complex but solutions are often fairly simple, but he also says don’t be fooled by the magic of television and his easy going manner.  He says hours of research and peer review by America’s top doctors go into every single episode of The Dr. Phil Show.  He shares a little relationship advice from his 42 years of marriage, how his wife Robin is the "Dr Phil to Dr Phil" who always keeps him in check, and why Robin still sits in the audience of every taping of his show.  Then Dr Phil discusses how his podcast Phil in the Blanks is a welcome chance to interview interesting people without the pressure of having to solve their problems, why he desperately wants to get O.J. Simpson on the show, and why he's planning to enter the popular true crime genre for his next project.  Plus why he never volunteers advice to his friends, what he would say if he was mediating the government shutdown negotiations, and he weighs in on the prospect of an Oprah for President campaign in 2020.

Subscribe to Dr. Phil's podcast Phil in the Blanks on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify, and visit www.drphilintheblanks.com for more information and upcoming guests.  The Dr. Phil Show airs weekdays and you can go to www.drphil.com to find your local listings.  Follow Phil McGraw on Twitter at @DrPhil.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Actor/director Tim Robbins discusses why his classic political mockumentary BOB ROBERTS is more relevant now than ever.  He says Harvey Weinstein reminds him of the shady operators he knew growing up in New York’s Greenwich Village, he recalls studying real studio execs for his role in Robert Altman’s THE PLAYER, and he remembers Altman's mentoring Tim's leap from actor to director.  He discusses how he funded his first play while he was still a struggling actor, how his play THE NEW COLOSSUS is putting personal faces to the immigration issue, and why he’s using The Actors Gang to bring theatre into California prisons.  Plus Tim opens up about turning 60, weighs in on the current struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party, and recounts the time he heckled Henry Kissinger outside of a famous celebrity restaurant.

Visit www.theactorsgang.com for tickets or to learn more. See Tim in Alan Ball’s excellent series HERE AND NOW with a subscription to HBO, HBO GO, or HBO NOW.  Keep up with Tim at www.timrobbins.net or on twitter at @TimRobbins1.  

For three days in November, 1943, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin met in Tehran, Iran and made decisions that would change the course of World War II.  It's the subject of a new book by Fox News' Bret Baier titled Three Days at the Brink: FDR's Daring Gamble to Win World War II, and today Bret Baier shares how his latest book fits into his Three Days in History trilogy, why the Tehran Conference was so crucial to Allied victory, and how it also set the stage for the Cold War.  He reveals why Stalin held all the cards going into Tehran, how FDR managed to use Stalin's eavesdropping to his advantage,  and why Roosevelt had to risk hurting Churchill’s feelings in order to make a deal.  He also discusses how lots and lots of alcohol greased the wheels of diplomacy among the three leaders, similarities between the personal diplomacy styles of FDR and President Donald Trump, and some key leadership lessons from those three days in Tehran.  Plus this beltway insider weighs in on the mood in Washington as Congress moves forward with Impeachment.

Special thanks to The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum and the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum for hosting our interview.  Order Bret Baier's book Three Days at the Brink: FDR's Daring Gamble to Win World War II on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Also check out the other books in his Three Days trilogy Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower's Final Mission and Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire.  Watch Special Report with Bret Baier five days a week on Fox News and follow him on Twitter at @BretBaier.  Today's podcast was sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which wants to remind you not to drive drunk or high this holiday season.

Ash Carter and Sam Kashner discuss their new book about the EGOT-winning director Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Birdcage).   They talk about his early years as one of the founders of the improv group that would become Second City, the story of how Nichols joined up with Elaine May to make comedy history, and how the creative differences that broke up Nichols and May opened the door for Mike Nichols to direct for Broadway and Hollywood.  They reveal how the first time director got the nerve to stand up to movie mogul Jack Warner during the filming of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, why Nichols originally wanted to cast Robert Redford in The Graduate, and how Orson Wells tried to usurp him as director on Catch-22.  They share stories of Nichols’ courtship and marriage of news anchor Diane Sawyer, his lavish life, his many friendships, and a lesson in how to go out in style.

Order their book Life isn't everything: Mike Nichols, as remembered by 150 of his closest friends on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow Sam and Ask on Twitter at @SamKashner and @Psmithjourno.  Today's episode was sponsored by Oris Watches.  Shop their selection of Swiss made mechanical watches at www.oris.ch/kick.

Craig Ferguson talks about his new limited series Hobo Fabulous, why he wanted to do a rockumentary-style show about his US comedy tour, and how he's ready to take a long break from the road after a 2 month American bus tour. Craig recalls that he never watched a late night television show in his life before taking over The Late Late Show on CBS, what it was like working with David Letterman as a producer, and how doing the show 5 nights a week for 10 years made him fall out of love with show-business.  He says that late shows have become all about viral clips and clicks on the internet instead putting on a show for the tv audience and that he wouldn’t want to do a late night show in today’s politically charged environment.  We also discuss his decision to become a US citizen more than 10 years ago, the one state in the US that won’t grant him honorary citizenship, and why he’s still paying taxes in the US although he's now returned to his native land of Scotland.  Plus we talk about Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons, the Scottish production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, and Craig’s breakout role as "Bing Hitler."

All six episodes of Hobo Fabulous are available now on the Comedy Dynamics Network, iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Comcast, Spectrum, Dish and other platforms.  Visit www.comedydynamics.com for more information.  Today's episode was sponsored by Oris Watches.  Shop their selection of Swiss made mechanical watches at www.oris.ch/kick.

Abby McEnany discusses her start in Chicago’s improv scene and how her one woman show turned into her new Showtime series Work in Progress.  She reveals how Julia Sweeney’s Saturday Night Live character “Pat” made her life a living hell for a while and how she convinced Julia to join the cast of her new show.  Abby talks about her perennial problem of getting misgendered in the women’s restroom, why the 51 year old sometimes feels like a "square" in the younger gay and transgender community, and why she avoids all social media.

Abby's show Work in Progress airs Sundays At 11pm ET/PT on Showtime.  Today's episode was sponsored by Oris Watches.  Shop their selection of Swiss made mechanical watches at www.oris.ch/kick.

Andrew Marantz, a staff writer for the New Yorker, talks about his experience embedding with the so called "Deplorables,"
and how he got a rare insider's glimpse into the pundits, trolls, and provocateurs who drive the conversation on the alt-right.  He recalls his strange relationship with a right wing media influencer who is able to manipulate America’s political conversation, spread conspiracy theories, and even put words in the mouth of President Trump.  He also discusses how Silicon Valley’s laissez faire libertarianism opened the door hate-mongers and conspiracy theorists, how social media algorithms actually promote that type of content, and why he says it’s time for tech leaders to stop hiding behind the 1st Amendment.  Plus Andrew describes how Reddit is now cracking down on hate speech, the bizarre story of the neo-nazi who is married to a jewish woman, and the pitiful demise of right wing gadfly Milo Yiannopoulos.

Order Adam's book Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Read Andrew Marantz regularly in The New Yorker and follow him on twitter at @AndrewMarantz.  

Master of suspense Dean Koontz recalls the literary agent who said he'd never be a bestselling author and how he defied expectations with fourteen #1 New York Times Bestsellers.  He discusses his new collection of six short suspense stories for Amazon, why creating an antihero with no memory and no identity appealed to him, and those stories have to say about the blessing and the curse of technology in our lives.  Dean reveals the meticulous research that goes into his writing, how much of himself he puts into his books, and why his love of dogs always seems to make it into his work.

Nameless, collection of short stories by Dean Koontz is available for free to Prime and Kindle Unlimited members.  Keep up with Dean at www.deankoontz.com and on twitter at @deankoontz.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos HR Solutions.

CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and humorist Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries but he says that not every notable life has gotten the send-off it deserves.  He's attempting to right those wrongs with his Mobituaries podcast and his new book Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving.  We discuss celebrities who died on the same day,  historical figures who were eclipsed by the actors who played them in the movies,  and the old debate over whether famous people die in pairs or threes.  Mo tells the stories of lesser known figures like Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy,  the original Siamese twins Ang and Chang, and the world’s first fashion influencer.  Plus we cover the unceremonious sendoff of founding father Thomas Paine, how Lawrence Welk proved it’s hip to be square,  and famous rest stops along the New Jersey Turnpike.

Order his book Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to the Mobituaries podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you like to listen.  You can also catch Mo on CBS Sunday Morning and follow him on twitter at @MoRocca.  Today's episode was sponsored by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally's new podcast In Bed with Nick and Megan, Kendra Scott Jewelry (use promo code KICK for 20% off), and Invitae genetic testing.

Oscar and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney discusses his new film Citizen K and what it was like to profile Russia's billionaire oil oligarch turned political activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky.  He talks about the parallel rise of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Vladimir Putin amid the chaos of post-Soviet Russia and the public showdown between the two men that put Khodorkovsky on Putin’s enemies list and eventually landed him in prison.  Alex reveals why Khodorkovsky refused to flee Russia before his arrest and the personal transformation that he underwent during his decade in a remote Russian prison.  He shares how Khodorkovsky got out of prison and escaped Russia with $500 million in the bank, how the ex-patriot is now waging a political war against Vladimir Putin from London, and whether he worries that Putin might could target him for assassination.  Plus Alex reveals what Mikhail Khodorkovsky knows about Russia’s interference in the 2016 US election, why Vladimir Putin employs a cast of actors to make himself look good, and what Mikhail Khodorkovsky believes is Putin’s worst nightmare.

See Alex Gibney's new documentary film Citizen K now out in theaters and follow Alex on twitter at @AlexGibneyfilm.  Today episode was sponsored by Uncommitted: Iowa 2020, an original podcast from VICE News that's available every Tuesday for free on Spotify and Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood now out on digital.

Senator Sherrod Brown reveals how he first learned about the rich history of his desk in the U.S. Senate and how he grappled with some of the contradictions and controversies of the men who sat there before him.  We discuss the singing cowboy turned one term Senator from Idaho who once spent a night in Bull Conner’s jail in Alabama and the Senator from Wisconsin who was a legendary penny pincher and never missed a vote.  He talks about getting back to a more movement-oriented definition of Progressivism, his belief in the dignity of work,
and why he feels it’s a winning message for Democrats running against President Trump in 2020.  Plus Senator Brown opens up about his decision to stay out of the Democratic Presidential Primary, whether or not he might reconsider that choice in light recent calls for him to jump into the race, and how he plans to approach a potential impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate.

Order Senator Brown's book Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold, and follow him on Twitter at @SenSherrodBrown.  Today episode was sponsored by Uncommitted: Iowa 2020, an original podcast from VICE News that's available every Tuesday for free on Spotify.

As the Ukraine scandal continues to heat up, MSNBC intelligence expert Malcolm Nance explains why US support for Ukraine is in our own national interest, what Rudy Giuliani is getting from being the President’s bag man to Ukraine, and how Paul Manafort started the conspiracy theories about Ukrainian involvement in the 2016 election.  He also shares that Russia has been keeping tabs on Donald Trump since as early as 1977, how Trump went from an unwitting asset of Russia to a willing asset, and why he sees Vladimir Putin’s fingerprints all over Trump’s withdrawal from Northern Syria. Plus Malcolm weighs in on Hillary Clinton’s assertion that Democratic Presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset.

Order Malcolm Nance's new book The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our Enemies, Compromised Our Security, and How We Can Fix It on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold, and follow at www.MalcolmNance.com or on Twitter at @MalcolmNance.

Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig discusses the fundamental issue that he says underlies many of our current political problems - "unrepresentativeness."  He offers some creative prescriptions for how to cure America’s unrepresentativeness problem such as public funding of election campaigns (including campaigns for Congress), a radical restructuring of the United States Senate, and some ways to reform the Electoral College without having to change the Constitution.  He also says we the people are complicit in America’s political dysfunction, and suggests some ways that Americans can take a more proactive role in government such as  "civic juries" and citizen referenda.  Plus I ask this distinguished legal scholar to weigh in on the impeachment of President Donald Trump. 

Order Lawrence Lessig's new book They Don't Represent Us: Reclaiming Our Democracy on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow him at www.lessig.com or on Twitter at @Lessig.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kendra Scott Jewelry.  Visit www.kendrascott.com and use promo code KICK for 20% off your next purchase or mention this ad in your local Kendra Scott store.

Bestselling author Mitch Albom returns to the podcast to talk about how he came to run an orphanage in earthquake ravaged Haiti, how recent political instability in Haiti has led to some frightening encounters for the kids, and the hardest part about running an orphanage.  He shares how he became a surrogate father to a young girl with a terminal illness, how he learned what it means to be "kid tough," and how a girl named Chika taught him some valuable lessons about the important things in life.

Order Mitch's touching book Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with him at www.mitchalbom.com or on Twitter at @MitchAlbom.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Bayer.

Actor/comedian Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs, Curb Your Enthusiasm) reveals how Jimmy Durante inspired him to get into comedy as a boy, what it was like rooming with a young Conan O'Brien when he started at Chicago’s legendary improv group Second City, and the time he witnessed one of Larry David’s famous fights with his audience at a comedy club.  He talks about his worst gig as a comedian, why he always goes on stage to a different song, and why not everyone should follow their dream to Hollywood.  Plus Jeff shares how he kicked the sugar habit, what you can order in a catalogue for fat guys, and how he almost got fired from his hit show The Goldbergs.

Jeff's new hourlong standup special Jeff Garlin: Our Man In Chicago is available on Netflix starting November 12.  You can also catch Jeff on The Goldbergs and the next season of Curb Your Enthusiasm coming in 2020.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Afternoon Cyber Tea podcast and Kendra Scott Jewelry.  Visit www.kendrascott.com and use promo code KICK for 20% off your next order.

Bestselling sports writer Joe Posnanski recalls delving into the rabbit hole of magician Harry Houdini’s legendary life and separating fact from the fiction invented by Houdini and his followers.  Joe discusses the handcuffs that Houdini almost couldn’t get out of, some of the more bizarre things people challenged him to escape, and how Houdini upped the ante with increasingly more dangerous escapes to keep audiences interested.  He explains why many people falsely believe that the magician died performing his most famous trick, and we talk about the secret code that Houdini’s widow Bess used  to try to make contact with him from beyond the grave.  Joe also gives us entre into the world of Houdini superfans from the couple who committed a crime to honor their hero to the mysterious man who calls himself "Houdini’s ghost."  Plus he reveals what it’s like inside David Copperfield’s private magic warehouse in Las Vegas, how Houdini learned from some of the turn of the century’s most bizarre sideshow acts, and his daughter’s favorite Houdini revenge story.

Order Joe Posnanski's wonderful new book The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with him at JoePosnanski.com or on Twitter at @JPosnanski.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Kronos HR Solutions and Avalara Sales Tax Solutions.  

Golden Globe-winner Edward Norton talks about his film Motherless Brooklyn's 20 year journey to the big screen and what it was like to write, direct, and star in this neo-noir masterpiece.  He shares some of the things he’s learned from working with directors like Milos Forman and Woody Allen.  Edward talks about the real life New York powerbroker who inspired his film’s antagonist, his own grandfather’s crusade for low income housing, and the things that get lost in the service of progress.  Plus we delve into our mutual love of jazz, classic noir detective films, and Manhattan landmarks of a bygone era.

Don't miss Edward Norton's new film Motherless Brooklyn now showing in theaters.  Order Stuart Russell's new book Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Afternoon Cyber Tea podcast, Invitae, and Purotrader.  Check out www.Purotrader.com and use the promo code NEWS for a chance to win a day at the Porsche Racing Experience in Los Angeles or Atlanta.

Artificial Intelligence researcher Stuart Russell says that machines are probably a long way from achieving the kind of self-awareness portrayed in films like 2001 and The Predator, but he warns the greater danger is that they might obey our instructions too well.  We get into the myriad unintended consequences of AI from the social media algorithms that are actually rewiring our political preferences to how AI that is intended to solve global climate change could go horribly wrong.  He suggests that we will need to rethink the standard model of how people use tools and technology to achieve our goals, and he gives just a few examples of the many ways AI will change our lives for the better if we get it right.

Order Stuart Russell's new book Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Bayer,  Avalara Sales Tax Solutions, and Belkin.  Visit www.belkin.com and use promo code KICKASS for 30% off all Belkin products.

Actor, comedian, and humorist John Hodgman talks about the strange sense of validation he gets from his airline loyalty program, the perks and perils of hotel living, and the best way to get thrown into Disneyland Jail.  We discuss his memorable appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, how his Daily Show colleague Al Madrigal got him into standup, and his podcast where he mediates minor disputes between squabbling couples.  He recalls his early days as a fancy New York literary agent, the worst book manuscript he ever read, and the writer who became his stalker.  Plus we talk about John’s remarkable skill at gaining entry into all manner of exclusive, and sometimes sinister clubs, from Yale’s secret societies and meetings of the New World Order, to the Church of Scientology’s Flag Land Base and Mar-a-Lago.

Order John Hodgman's book Medallion Status: True Stories from Secret Rooms on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Be sure to subscribe to the Judge John Hodgman podcast, and keep up with John at www.JohnHodgman.com or on Twitter at @Hodgman.

Chef David Chang shares that he originally wanted to be Tiger Woods not Wolfgang Puck, and he eventually got into cooking because he hated his job in finance.  He recalls learning in some of the best kitchens in New York and Tokyo, then rebelling against New York’s fine dining establishment, and how struggling to get Momofuku off the ground shaped his success.  Dave talks about his new Netflix series Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, smoking weed and touring Vancouver with Seth Rogen for the show, and exploring the mysteries of Marrakech with Chrissy Teigen.  Plus he talks about his love/hate relationship with the California food scene, customers who Instagram their food, how food delivery apps are disrupting the restaurant industry, and what that means for chefs.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner is now available on Netflix.  Keep up with David at momofuku.com or on Twitter at @DavidChang, and be sure to subscribe to his podcast The David Chang Show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Avalara Sales Tax Solutions, and Belkin.  Visit www.belkin.com and use promo code KICKASS for 30% off all Belkin products.

Ambassador Susan Rice has been at the table during the most pressing international crises of the past 30 years and she discusses it in her new memoir Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For.  She talk about her family’s unique American story and how playing peacekeeper during her parents troubled marriage made her grow up fast but also prepared her for a life in international diplomacy.  She recalls her baptism of fire when she joined the Clinton administration and immediately got thrown into the deep end with back-to-back crises in Somalia and Rwanda.  She describes the US Embassy bombings in 1998 as the hardest day in her career, her contentious relationship with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and how she became the public face of the 2012 Embassy attack in Benghazi.  Plus she speculates on what might have motivated President Trump to suddenly pull out of Northern Syria, she says Vladimir Putin is a creep and a pig, and she talks about her famous moves on the dance floor.

Order Susan Rice's book Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Avalara Sales Tax Solutions, the Invitae Genetic Test, and the TRTL Travel Pillow. 

Governor John Kasich shares some of the stories of every day Americans doing great things that inspired his latest book to write the book It's Up to Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change.  This two-time Presidential candidate says that the actions of ordinary people matter way more to this country than whose occupying the White House.  He talks about the importance of breaking free of political echo chambers, and shares what kind of news outlets make it into his own daily newsfeed. We talk about his uncanny abilities as a political prognosticator, and why he’s staying out of the Republican presidential primary (at least for now). Plus John Kasich on thinking about eternity, what he’d like his obituary to say about him, and the meditative power of playing golf.

Order his new book It’s Up to Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Look for him regularly as a political contributor on CNN, and keep up with him at www.johnkasich.com or on Twitter at @JohnKasich.  Todays episode was sponsored by Kronos HR solutions, Purple Mattress, Belkin, and Purotrader.

Blackstone Co-founder, CEO, and Chairman Stephen Schwarzman shares lessons for how to think about ambition and scale, risk and opportunities, and how to achieve success through the relentless pursuit of excellence.  He talks about his middle class beginnings as the son of a linen salesman in Philadelphia, getting paired with a literal Nazi for a roommate at Yale University, and his own version of a summer at sea - working on Scandinavian shipping boats.  He reveals how a famous statesman convinced him to go into business instead of politics and how he was completely unqualified for his first job in finance.  He recalls how he took $400,000 in 1985 and turned Blackstone into an investment firm that today manages over $500 billion, and how he capitalized the fund just days before Black Monday.  He shares how an early loss completely changed how Blackstone evaluates risk, why the firm jumped into real estate at a time when no one was buying or selling, and how the company weathered the 2008 financial crisis.  Plus Stephen Schwarzman discusses his his friendship with President Donald Trump, his efforts to backchannel trade negotiations between the US and China, and why the Chinese know him by the nickname “Farmer Blackstone.”

Order Stephen Schwarzman's book What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Avalara Sales Tax Solutions. 

Dave Asprey talks about his plan to live to 180 and his new book Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever.  He opens up about a traumatic health crisis that got him interested in health and longevity as a teenager and his battle with early cognitive decline that set him on a path to hacking the human brain. He shares the one food that he never ever eats, the benefits of periodic fasting, and how he manages to feel more rested on less sleep. We talk about the importance of light, gut health, and even jaw alignment to our wellness. Plus he describes some of the more cutting edge treatments that he’s tried from stem cell injections to blood transfusions, including a couple that he wished he hadn’t tried, and he reveals why Russians may have the inside track on hacking longevity.

Order Dave Asprey's new book Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Subcribe to his podcast Bulletproof Radio on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen, and keep up with him at www.bulletproof.com or on Twitter at @BulletproofExec.  Today’s episode was sponsored by TRTL the world's most comfortable travel pillow.  Visit www.trtltravel.com and use the code KICK for 20% off.

Astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses some of his favorite letters from fans on a diverse array of topics from Pluto and Bigfoot to race and religion.  He shares touching personal letters from his cousin wondering about her deceased father’s spirit, and a mother whose autistic son is torn between what he learns in Hebrew school
and what he learns from Cosmos.  He talks about the tweet that enraged the musician Moby, the rapper who insisted that the earth is flat, and a man who asked Neil to help promote his "perpetual motion machine."  Plus Neil answers your questions about black holes, the speed of light, the moon landing, and more.

Order Neil deGrasse Tyson's new book Letters from an Astrophysicist on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to his podcast Startalk on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen, follow him on twitter at @NeilTyson, and visit his webpage at www.haydenplanitarium.org/tyson.  Today’s episode was sponsored by  Avalara sales tax solutions and Purple Mattress.  Text KICK to 84-888 for a FREE Purple pillow with the purchase of a Purple Mattress.

Bestselling author Ryan Holiday discusses his new book Stillness Is the Key, how he became the leading modern proponent of Stoicism,
and why many people today misunderstand what it means to be a Stoic.  He says ancient Greeks and Romans were every bit as distracted as we are today and reveals some of their secrets to ignoring the chaos and finding focus.  He also shares how he finds silence and serenity in his own life and how his daily routine keeps him calm and prepared even on the most hectic of days.  He discusses his definition of "stillness," how TV’s Mr. Rogers personified it, how Tiger Woods eventually attained it, and why President Donald Trump is the precise antithesis of it.  We talk about our mutual love of Winston Churchill, how learning to see the world like an artist helped Churchill keep it together while freeing the world from tyranny, and why he once altered a priceless painting by Peter Paul Rubens.

Order Ryan Holiday's new book Stillness Is the Key on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Ryan at www.ryanholiday.com and on Twitter at @RyanHoliday.  Today’s episode was sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling, Avalara sales tax software, Kronos HR solutions, and Purotrader.com.

Jeannie Gaffigan reveals how she went from a perfectly normal life
to being rushed into surgery for a pear-sized brain tumor over the coarse of an Easter Weekend, why things got worse just when she thought she was in the clear, and how she learned that laughter truly IS the best medicine.  She reveals how she and her husband comedian Jim Gaffigan write jokes together, talks about Jim’s surprising swagger when he first began romancing her, and how she finally knew that he was "the one."  She discusses why she and Jim decided to end The Jim Gaffigan Show after two seasons, what it was like to balance a tv family with their real family, and how they manage to keep track of five children.

Order Jeannie's book When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow Jeannie on twitter at @JeannieGaffigan.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Capella University's online doctoral program.

Meryl Streep is arguably the greatest actress of this or any generation.  She has starred in more than 60 films, won 3 Oscars, and received a record setting 21 nominations.  Entertainment reporter Erin Carlson discusses Streep's illustrious acting career, her advocacy for women off the screen, and her deeply guarded personal life.  Erin delves Jane Fonda’s mentorship of Streep on the film Julia, Meryl’s rivalries with Jessica Lang, and the behind-the-scenes drama between her and Dustin Hoffman on Kramer vs Kramer.  She suggests that the late actor John Cazale was the love of Meryl Streep’s life, she shares how he how helped her hone her craft, and reveals how Meryl coped with his tragic untimely death.  We talk about acting over 40, how Meryl became a champion for better roles and equal pay for actresses, and how she navigated doing business with disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.  Plus Erin weighs in on Meryl Streep’s best performances and most underrated films.

Order Erin's book Queen Meryl: The Iconic Roles, Heroic Deeds, and Legendary Life of Meryl Streep on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Stitcher's new podcast Lost at the Smithsonian.  Subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or favorite podcast app.

New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer grew tired of his kids’ obsession with reality TV and people who were famous for being famous so he began to write children's books about real heroes from history.  He talks about the newest additions to his Ordinary People Change the World series I Am Walt Disney and I Am Marie Curie, and  reveals some of his own childhood heroes.  He says he puts just as much historical research into his children’s books as he does into his bestselling political thrillers and explains why it was so important to show kids that even famous historical figures started out somewhere.  He talks about the new PBS TV series based on his books and how it’s a dream come true for a man who grew up with Sesame Street and Mr. Rodgers.  Plus Brad announces his next book for his adult readers - a sequel to his best-selling novel The Escape Artist.  

Order I am Marie Curie and I am Walt Disney and other books in Brad’s Ordinary People Change the World series for kids on Amazon or wherever books are sold.  Visit www.bradmeltzer.com for more information, and follow Brad on Twitter at @BradMeltzer.  Today’s episode was sponsored by PuroTrader, the online community for cigar lovers. Visit www.purotrader.com and use the promo code NEWS for a chance to win a day at the Porsche Racing Experience in Los Angeles or Atlanta.

Scott Aukerman is the co-creator of hilariously awkward talk show Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.  He talks about expanding the Ferns universe for Between Two Ferns: The Movie, how he and Zach improvised the entire film, and what it was to direct his hero David Letterman.  Scott reveals how Between Two Ferns was born out of his and Zach's love of bad cable access programming, why actual ferns were so essential to the look of the show, and how they managed to snag President Barack Obama as a guest.  Plus we celebrate 10 years of Scott's podcast Comedy Bang! Bang!

Between Two Ferns: The Movie comes out on Netflix beginning this Friday, September 20.  Subscribe to Scott’s podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you listen and follow Scott on Twitter at @Scott Aukerman.  Today's episode was sponsored by Bank of America's The Academy for Consumer and Small Business and Invitae. 

Randall Munroe is the former NASA physicist turned bestselling cartoonist behind XKCD and the What If blog.  He talks about his new book How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems.  Randall reveals the cost of putting a lava moat around your house, how to move your house with helicopters, how to throw a coin or just about anything across a river, and how Serena Williams takes down a drone.  Plus Randall explains fishing with electricity, why scientists still haven’t figured out how ice works, and why the US military once nuked a bunch of beer cans.

Order Randall Munroe's new his book How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold, and view some of his wonderful cartoons at www.xkcd.com.  Today's episode was sponsored by Capella University's online doctoral program.

Caitlin Doughty is a best-selling author, funeral director, and host of the popular YouTube channel Ask a Mortician.  She returns to the podcast to answer children's questions about death such as "why don’t we eat human’s after they die?" and "what if they make a mistake and bury me in coma?"  She says it’s illegal to own or sell human remains, but there's a loophole that might allow you to keep human bones and you can pretty much do anything with cremated ashes.  She explains how a whole person's ashes can fit into a tiny urn and what happens when a cemetery runs out of room  She unravels some famous movie myths about death, takes me behind closed doors at a funeral directors convention, and opens up about a mortician's worst nightmare!

Buy Caitlin's latest book Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow her on Twitter at @TheGoodDeath, subscribe to her YouTube series Ask a Mortician, and learn more at www.caitlindoughty.com or www.orderofthegooddeath.com.  This episode is sponsored by Kronos HR solutions, BetterHelp online counseling, White Castle microwavable sliders, and MyBookie.

Acclaimed author Salman Rushdie talks about drawing on Cervantes and pop culture for his new novel Quichotte.  He describes having to consume a massive amount of "trash tv" in preparation for the book, how Quichotte addresses the most pressing issues of our time from opioids to immigration, and why the “the age of anything can happen” may not necessarily a good thing!  Rushdie opens up about his early career as a stage actor, his secret longing to be a second rate spy novelist, and why he finally decided to make a novelist a character in one of his stories.  Then we talk about the moment when a writer finds his own voice, how he developed his signature style of magical realism, and how it manifests in his latest novel with everything from mastodons to talking crickets.  Plus we talk about the fatwa that was issued against him 30 years ago and what it was like to play that scary event for comedy in the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Order Salman Rushdie's latest book Quichotte: A Novel on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow him on Twitter at @SalmanRushdie and visit salmanrushdie.com for a list of his upcoming public appearances (unless your fanatic trying to assassinate him...in which case disregard this).  This episode is sponsored by Purotrader and Invitae.

Comedian Anthony Jeselnik revels in making audiences a little uncomfortable and now he's making his fellow comedians uncomfortable as host of the hilarious new interview show Good Talk with Anthony Jeselnik.  He shares how the Saturday Night Live bit "Deep Thoughts with Jack Handey" inspired his uniquely off-beat style of comedy, the time he auditioned to be the anchor of SNL’s Weekend Update, and some pretty smart advice he once got from Lorne Michaels on how to write a late night monologue.  Anthony recalls the Comedy Central Roast that changed his life and what makes for the perfect roast speech.  We delve into how Good Talk deconstructs the late night talk show, why this famously confident comedian never does self-deprecating humor, the power of silence in standup, and the one thing that Anthony says is the most important element of good comedy.  Plus talks about how to out-deadpan Tig Notaro, what it was like to roast a future President, and the comedic genius of HBO’s Deadwood.

Good Talk with Anthony Jeselnik premieres this Friday, September 6 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central.  Keep up with Anthony Jeselnik at www.anthonyjeselnik.com or on twitter at @Anthony Jeselnik.  This episode is sponsored by MyBookie, and White Castle.

If you’ve ever seen the Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film
Catch Me If You Can, then you know the story of the boy con artist Frank Abagnale. Abagnale has since reformed his ways and now he is a leading expert on fraud, forgery and cybersecurity who consults for Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, and law enforcement. Frank discusses his early life of crime, how he turned it all around, and how he’s helping to protect Americans from scammers. He recalls how wearing the uniform of a pilot or a doctor played on people’s trust of authority, he reveals what kind of personalities were most susceptible to his schemes, and he warns that technology has made it much easier for crooks to pull off the same cons that he got away with in the 1960s. He discusses which demographics are most vulnerable to fraud and cautions that it actually has nothing to do with how smart you are. We talk about a range of specific scams including those spam emails from a "Nigerian Prince" and automated phone calls purporting to be the IRS. Frank also gets into how con artists are using crowd funding sites, dating apps, and even ancestry companies to rip you off. Plus Frank reveals why he doesn’t own a debit card and why he wants Americans to do away with passwords once and for all.

Order Frank Abagnale's new book  Scam Me If You Can: Simple Strategies to Outsmart Today’s Rip-Off Artists on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Bank of America’s The Academy for Consumer and Small Business, Capella University's online doctoral program, and BetterHelp online counseling.

In 2018 Senator Jeff Merkley posted a viral video that triggered worldwide outrage at the forced separation of migrant children from their parents.  Now over a year later, he claims that there are still families who haven’t been reunited and that family separations are the result of a deliberate effort by the Trump Administration to deter immigrants by inflicting maximum pain.  Senator Merkley makes the case that Trump’s zero tolerance policy toward illegal immigration is violating both US and international laws, and he reveals what happened when he confronted his old Senate colleague Jeff Sessions about this issue.  He recalls his travel through war-torn Central America in the 80’s and actually claims that those countries are much worse off today.  Plus he shares heart-breaking stories from refugees who risked everything to escape worst imaginable kind of evil at the hands of gangs and drug cartels.

Order Senator Jeff Merkley's book America Is Better Than This: Trump's War Against Migrant Families on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow Senator Merkley on Twitter at @SenJeffMerkley.  This episode is sponsored by Anchor.  Anchor is a Spotify-owned company that makes it easy for anyone to make a podcast, for free. Get started at www.anchor.fm/kickassnews.  We're also sponsored by AncestryDNA.  Go to www.ancestry.com/kick today for 20% off your AncestryDNA kit. 

Adventurer and explorer Josh Gates has spent his career crossing the globe to investigate the world’s most intriguing mysteries as host of Expedition Unknown on Discovery Network.  In the age of Google Maps, he says there are still unexplored parts of the world full of wonders to be uncovered.  The self-described “opened-minded skeptic” talks his obsession with Yeti and why these "mystery primates" appear again and again in cultures all around the world.  He reveals how Expedition Unknown helped recover Judy Garland’s stolen ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, new forensic evidence they found in the case of D.B. Cooper, and recent developments that have lead him to revisit several topics in the new season.  Josh recalls some of his craziest adventures in Season 7 such as braving the Siberian winter to look into the bizarre Dyatlov Pass incident and scouring the ancient caves of Israel and Jordan for the lost Dead Sea Scrolls.  He walks me through how he decides which legends to chase, which ones are too dangerous, how to handle a shakedown by local authorities in a strange country, and the most awkward of conversations - how to divvy up a treasure!

Expedition Unknown airs Wednesdays at 9PM Eastern on Discovery Network.  Keep up with Josh at www.joshuagates.com or on Twitter at @JoshuaGates.  This episode is sponsored by Capella University, MyBookie, and White Castle.

This is a rebroadcast of an interview with former Secretary of State George Shultz that originally aired January 19, 2018.  Secretary Shultz recalls his close friendship with President Ronald Reagan, the moment he realized that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev was someone the U.S. could do business with, and Reagan's Pershing missile moment as a masterclass in peace through strength.  He suggests that President Trump may soon need to have a "Pershing moment" of his own, reveals what he learned in a meeting years ago with a young Vladimir Putin, and weighs in as an economist on the Trump tax reform act.  Plus George Shultz discusses why Ronald Reagan never bluffed, why foreign policy is a lot like gardening, and why the prospect of nuclear war still keeps him up at night.

George Shultz is a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and you can read some of his articles at www.hoover.org.  

Former deputy director of the CIA Counterterrorist Center Philip Mudd talks about the radical transformation that the intelligence community underwent in the first 90 days after 9/11, why CIA was never intended to be in the business of housing and interrogating prisoners, and how the CIA reached the decision to outsource the job to America’s allies at so-called black sites in what came to be known as "the Program."  He discusses some of the 13 enhanced interrogation methods that were approved by the U.S. Justice Department, how they delineated between aggressive interrogation and torture, and which techniques worked and which ones did not.  He says CIA operators express few regrets about what they did in "the Program," and many still feel they were thrown under the bus by members of Congress and also by former President Barack Obama.  

Order Philip Mudd's book Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold and keep up with Philip at www.PhilMudd.com.  This episode is sponsored by Capella University, White Castle, and PuroTrader.  

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary begins as a profile on a uniquely deranged magician, who built a career out of shock and deception in the 1980s, but it quickly becomes the bizarre story about the unravelling of his documentarian Ben Berman.  Johnathan Szeles and Ben Berman join me at the world famous Magic Castle to talk about the crazy experience of making this film. Johnathan discusses the heart condition that lead to his retirement in 2014, what his doctors say 5 years after giving him a year to live, and why Johnathan believes the secret to his survival is either stem cells, meth, or both! Ben talks about having to relinquish some control as a director and follow the Amazing Johnathan wherever this wild ride took him including having to contend with a second crew filming a totally different documentary about Amazing Johnathan.  Plus the psychology of magic, the gamesmanship of elaborate pranks, why David Copperfield and Chris Angel hate each others’ guts, and Johnathan knows a lot about faking your own death!

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary is available on Hulu and in select theaters beginning Friday, August 16.  Keep up with the Amazing Jonathan at theamazingjohnathan.com or on Twitter at @TheAmazingJ, and follow Ben Berman on Twitter at @LipsBerman.  This episode is sponsored by Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Long before Star Trek, a very young George Takei was one of 145,000 Japanese Americans held in internment camps during World War II, and now he returns to this formative experience in his life
as a historical consultant and star in the second season of AMC's horror anthology series The Terror: Infamy.  He talks about the painful experience of having his whole family uprooted by their own government, the eerie sense of déjà vu that he got when he first arrived on the set of The Terror: Infamy, and how he served as a link to the past for the other actors on the show.  He recalls being forced to live in a horse stall at a California race track for two months and then getting shipped across the country to an internment camp in the swamps of Arkansas, but that it all just seemed like a great adventure to an innocent boy who was oblivious discrimination and injustice.  George explains why he takes issue with the term "Japanese internment camps," why his parents were nearly deported over a citizenship questionnaire, and why he fears that history might be repeating itself under President Donald Trump.  Plus he reveals how an early experience in the camps partly inspired him to go into acting, and we talk a little Star Trek.

The Terror: Infamy premieres on Monday, August 12 at 9/8 Central on AMC.  Order George Takei’s new graphic novel They Called Us Enemy on Amazon or wherever books are sold and follow him on Twitter at @GeorgeTakei.  This episode is sponsored by Bank of America’s The Academy for Consumer and Small Business, Kronos HR Solutions, and BetterHelp.

Actor Wyatt Russell is the star of the most original show on television AMC's Lodge 49.  We discuss the allure of ancient fraternal orders, the importance of embracing everyday "magic," and getting curious about the places and the people we all too often drive past.  He talks about how the show speaks to the isolation of modern social media culture and our longing for fellowship.  Wyatt reminisces about previous career as a professional hockey player and the injury that sidelined him from hockey, but opened the door to a career in film and television.  He recalls getting his first big break just when he was ready to give up on acting, following in the steps of his famous parents Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, and what they taught him about keeping celebrity in perspective.

Season 2 of Lodge 49 premieres on Monday, August 12 at 10/9C on AMC.  Visit www.amc.com for more information..  This episode is sponsored by Bank of America’s The Academy for Consumer and Small Business.  

Terry McAuliffe was Governor of Virginia at the time of the infamous Unite the Right rally that left three dead and many injured in Charlottesville, VA.  He offers a behind-the-scenes account of this infamous chapter in our history and shows how we can prevent other Charlottesvilles from happening in the future.  He shares his biggest worries in the weeks leading up to the infamous Unite the Right rally, why local authorities didn’t take his concerns nearly seriously enough, and why he believes that the ACLU shares some of the blame for failing to prevent the violence.  He opens up about the tragic loss his own family suffered on that fateful day and voices his anger at the out-of-state agitators who gave Virginia a bad name.  He discusses his phone call with President Trump on the day of the rally and his outrage when the President later made a wildly offensive public statement on the issue.  Terry McAuliffe also talks about running for Governor and recalls his efforts to bring Virginia into the 21st Century.  Then the former chairman of DNC weighs in on the Democratic debates and what he thinks Democrats are looking for in 2020.

Order Terry McAuliffe's book Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow him on Twitter at @TerryMcAuliffe.  This episode is sponsored by Capella University, The Life Is Good Ping Podcast, and Magoosh online test prep.  

Walton Goggins and Jim Gaffigan talk about getting over their fear of snakes to portray Pentecostal snake handlers in their new film Them That Follow.  They discuss the beliefs behind the religion, why members of these Pentecostal sect live in fear of the law, and why they took particular care not to reinforce negative stereotypes about the people of rural Appalachia.  We talk about what attracts Walton to religious roles from The Apostle to Them That Follow, and how he manages to move so effortlessly between drama and comedy.  Then Jim Gaffigan discusses his own transition from comedy to drama, how his acting and standup inform each other, and what it’s been like hit the film festival circuit.  He goes into how his experience as a devout Catholic informed his portrayal in the film, his upcoming standup special for Amazon, and how his wife Jeannie’s recovery from a brain tumor has inspired him to get more personal in his act.

Them That Follow opens in theaters this Friday, August 2.  Also look for Walton Goggins in HBO’s new limited series The Righteous Gemstones August 18 and Jim’s new comedy special Quality Time on Amazon Prime Video beginning August 16.  This episode is sponsored by Anchor.  Anchor is a Spotify-owned company that makes it easy for anyone to make a podcast, for free. Get started at www.anchor.fm/kickassnews.  We're also sponsored by BetterHelp Online Counseling and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream.

Diallo Riddle and and Bashir Salahuddin channeled their nostalgia musical variety shows like SoulTrain and Solid Gold into a hilarious new parody series Sherman's Showcase on IFC.  They reveal how they lured artists like John Legend to the show and why all musicians are secretly aspiring comedians.  They recall drinking with Lorne Michaels, writing sketches for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and how Sherman's Showcase gave them an opportunity to do all the sketches that were too risky for network television.  They reminisce meeting at Harvard, starting their own sketch group just to get better parts, and being on the ground floor of the Youtube comedy boom.  Plus Frederick Douglass sells hair products!

Watch Sherman's Showcase starting Wednesday, July 31st at 10PM ET on IFC, and also be sure to catch Bashir and Diallo's other new show South Side on Comedy Central.  Visit www.ifc.com for more fun stuff about Sherman's Showcase, and follow Diallo Riddle on Twitter at @diallo.

Richard A. Clarke and Robert K. Knake have served as the top cyber security experts to three Presidents, and they discuss their new book The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats.  They discuss Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and say that Russia will almost certainly try it again in 2020.  They warn against the folly of continuing to allow local state bureaucrats to ensure the integrity of America’s electronic voting machines and suggest that Russia’s 2015 shutdown of Ukraine’s power grid might have been a dry run for a similar attack on the grid here in the US.  Clarke predicts that the next war that America enters will likely be triggered by a cyber attack.  They discuss the offensive and defensive potential of new technology like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and 5G.  They advocate for private companies to take greater ownership of their own data security instead expecting the government to protect them from attacks.  Plus they offer a few steps that every listener should take to protect themselves from cyber crime.

Order The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  This episode is sponsored by Bank of America’s The Academy for Consumer and Small Business and Capella University's Doctoral Degree Program.

#1 Bestselling spy novelist Daniel Silva's books closely mirror world events, and he reveals how the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi led him to toss out 250 pages of his latest novel and start over.  The New Girl is the 19th book in his wildly successful Gabriel Allon series, and he says he never imagined that his most popular character would last more than one book.  Daniel discusses the similarities and differences between his fictional Saudi Prince and the brutal Mohammed bin Salman and why he believes that Russia may have had something to do with President Trump’s decision to give bin Salman a pass on the Khashoggi murder.  Daniel recalls his start as a journalist working at CNN in the early days of 24-hour news, being there the night when the network brought Operation Desert Storm into America’s living rooms, and meeting his wife and fellow journalist Jamie Gangel during the Iran-Iraq War.  Plus Daniel talks about his unique writing process, his fascination with art restoration, and more. 

Order Daniel Silva's latest thrilling novel The New Girl on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Visit his website at www.danielsilvabooks.com and follow him on Twitter at @DanielSilvaBook.  This episode is sponsored by TruGreen Mosquito Defense.

Joy-Ann Reid is the host of MSNBC's A.M. Joy and she discusses her new book The Man Who Sold America: Trump and the Unraveling of the American Story.  She says only a New Yorker who lived in the city during the turbulent 70s and 80s can truly understand the rise of Donald Trump.  She likens that era to the lawlessness of Gotham City, and says that if NYC is Gotham than Trump is the Joker sowing chaos at every opportunity.  She tells the story of her parents' immigration from Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and suggests that America could learn something about healing racial divides from post-Apartheid South Africa.  Looking ahead to 2020, Joy believes that unregistered voters are a potential goldmine for Democrats.  She explains that the hungriest constituencies win elections and women will be very hungry this time.  Plus she weighs in the first Democratic debate, shares her daughter's nickname for Beto O’Rourke, and predicts that 2020 will be the craziest election yet!

Order Joy's book The Man Who Sold America: Trump and the Unraveling of the American Story on Amazon, Audible or whever books are sold.  Watch her show A.M. Joy on Saturdays and Sundays at 10am Eastern on MSNBC and follow her on twitter at @JoyAnnReid.  This episode is sponsored by Anchor.  Anchor is a Spotify-owned company that makes it easy for anyone to make a podcast, for free.  Get started at www.anchor.fm/kickassnews.

Silicon Valley icon Guy Kawasaki recalls his childhood in Hawaii, his start in the jewelry business, and how his skills at jewelry sales came in surprisingly handy when he became chief evangelist for Macintosh. He talks about personally witnessing the genius and dark side of Apple founder Steve Jobs, he shares some rules that he calls "the Gospel According to Steve," and opens up about the argument that led him to quit Apple in the 90s.  He talks about honor and honesty in the tech industry, his litmus test for doing business with someone, and why many of his best deals are done on a handshake.  He shares plenty of of sage marketing advice including what he calls "Guy’s Golden Rule" and gives me a crash course in how to be a social media influencer without letting it dominate your life.  Plus Guy discusses the costly mistake Hillary Clinton made with her Silicon Valley supporters, a cost/benefit analysis of standing up to Donald Trump, and the two asian celebrities for whom Guy always gets mistaken!

Order Guy Kawasaki's book WISE GUY: LESSONS FROM A LIFE on Amazon, Audible, and wherever books are sold.  Keep up with him at www.guykawasaki.com, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter at @GuyKawasaki.  Special thanks to Live Talks LA for hosting our interview.  Visit www.livetalksla.org to learn more about their terrific line-up of speakers coming up including Malcolm Gladwell, George Will, and many more.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos and Ben & Jerry's.

In the President's campaign against what he calls “Fake News,”
CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta has become public enemy number one, but Acosta warns that Trump's attacks on the press could have dangerous consequences for America.  Jim reveals some of the tricks that the White House uses to skew media coverage and avoid tough questions, and he says that the President’s war on the truth is changing journalism itself as reporters have to do double-duty as "real-time fact-checkers."  He shares some of the bone-chilling threats he receives from Trump supporters at rallies and on social media, and reports that hateful anti-media rhetoric only got worse in the 2018 midterms.  He suggest that Trump actually enjoys sparring with him in the press room and that the President only demonizes the press as part of an "act" to placate his base.  He even says he's figured out Trump's "tells" for when he's lying or losing!

Order Jim Acosta's book The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous time to Tell Truth in America on Amazon, Audible and wherever books are sold.  Follow him on Twitter at @Acosta and see him reporting from the White House on CNN.  Today's episode was sponsored by the TruGreen Mosquito Defense and BetterHelp.

Adam Savage (Mythbusters, MythBusters Junior) talks about building a working prototype of Marvel’s Iron Man suit for his new series Savage Builds and what it was like to fly around with tiny jet engines strapped to his forearms.  He discusses how Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson helped him take to the skies in a real World War I dogfight, why Adam's attempt recreate one of World War II’s most bizarre contraptions was less than successful, and how it served as a lesson in the importance of embracing your failures.  Adam talks about his love of juggling and magic, his friendship with magician and skeptic the Amazing Randy, his own relationship with the skeptic community, and how he discovered that Darwinism doesn’t make for good television.  Plus Adam talks about obsession with the dodo bird and why wire coat hangers are a maker's best friend.

Adam's new series Savage Builds airs Fridays at 10 Eastern on the Science Channel.  Visit Adam at www.adamsavage.com for more fun stuff and follow him on twitter at @donttrythis.  Today's episode was sponsored by the Life Is Good Ping Podcast.

Today's episode is a rerun of a previous podcast that aired December 3, 2018 with guest Trevor Noah.  Trevor talks about his  standup special TREVOR NOAH: SON OF PATRICIA and why he dedicated it to his mom whom he calls “the first comedian that he ever saw” and “most gangster human being you’ll ever meet in your life.”  He discusses growing up in South Africa during Apartheid, the power of humor to fight oppression, and why he believes that hateful words aren’t nearly as important as addressing with the hate itself.  He shares how the 2016 election affected his own vision for THE DAILY SHOW, why the current President reminds him of certain African dictators, and how he deciphers what’s news and what’s nonsense in the age of Trump.  Plus Trevor talks about interviewing President Barak Obama, whether he would be down to do the same with Donald Trump, and the question that he would most like ask the 45th President.

Watch THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH every weeknight at 11PM ET on Comedy Central.  Visit www.trevornoah.com for more on Trevor including upcoming tour dates, and follow him on twitter at @TrevorNoah.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Conservative columnist George Will answers the fundamental question “what is it that conservatives mean to conserve" and suggests that modern conservatives are losing sight of that purpose.  He extolls James Madison’s belief in the importance of natural rights and government’s role in protecting them, and he makes that case against his fellow Princetonian Woodrow Wilson who did the most to unravel the Founders’ vision.  George discusses his decision to change his political affiliation from Republican to Independent in 2016,
why he still can’t make the leap to the Libertarian Party, and why he believes it would be better to vote for Joe Biden over Donald Trump in 2020.

Order George Will's book The Conservative Sensibility on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow him on Twitter at @GeorgeWill and look for his regular column in the Washington Post.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp and Ben & Jerry's.

Former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter takes me behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the Pentagon, its vital mission, and what it takes to lead it.  He describes just how massive the D.O.D. is, how he managed a $700 billion dollar budget, and how he recruited top tech talent to the Pentagon.  Ash Carter reveals why his background as a physicist came in handy in the Pentagon and how it led him to oppose President Ronald Reagan’s "Star Wars" program in the 80s.  He discusses how he came up with his successful strategy to defeat ISIS, but cautions President Trump against pulling out of Iraq and Syria entirely.  He talks about his effort to reach out to non-traditional military recruits and his history-making decision to open all combat roles to women. 

Order Ash Carter's book Inside the Five-Sided Box: Lessons from a Lifetime of Leadership in the Pentagon on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by TruGreen mosquito defense.

Vince Houghton, director of the International Spy Museum, returns to take me on a wild tour of missions and schemes that almost happened, but were ultimately deemed too dangerous, expensive, ahead of their time, or insane.  These include weaponing animals such as eavesdropping cats, spooky glow in the dark foxes, and one plan to strap incendiary bombs to bats!  He reveals some of the CIA’s wackier attempts to take out Castro, the nazi scientist who tried to build a sun gun, and the Florida meteorologist who thought it would be a good idea to use a nuclear weapons to blow up hurricanes.  But just when you think it couldn’t get any crazier, Vince discusses the project that inspired the title of his new book - the U.S. military plan to nuke the moon!  

Order Vince Houghton's book Nuking the Moon: And Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board on Amazon, Audible, and in bookstores.  Today's podcast was sponsored by The Skimm and AncestryDNA.

As a 60 Minutes correspondent and former anchor of the CBS Evening News, Scott Pelley has been a witness to events that have changed our world and he talks about some individuals who illustrate the best of America.  He recalls the heart-break and exhaustion of reporting on the 9/11 attacks and why he feels it was the finest hour for CBS News.  He shares the three rules of journalism that he learned from CBS legend Walter Cronkite, and why he believes that 24-hour cable news create even more demand for a show like 60 Minutes.  He discusses his time as a combat journalist in Iraq and Afghanistan, the question that landed him on Hillary Clinton’s blacklist, and why he says that President Donald Trump just can’t stop himself from lying.  Plus he elaborates on his accusations that the CBS Evening News was a hostile work environment, explains the secret to 60 Minutes’ longevity, and shares a few favorite memories of 60 Minutes’ lovable curmudgeon Andy Rooney.

Order Scott Pelley's book Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter's Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp.com and Kronos.

Senator Tom Cotton recalls the storied history of the Old Guard of Arlington National Cemetery and the rigorous training he went through to become a member of this elite regiment.  He describes what it’s like to perform a military funeral in America’s most hallowed cemetery and how the soldiers of the Old Guard manage to avoid getting choked up.  Senator Cotton shares some of the other ceremonies that the Old Guard performs and how the Old Guard played a pivotal role at the Pentagon in the hours and days following 9/11.  Plus we talk about the special soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier day and night in all kinds of weather, how they deal with unruly children and noisy tourists, and why modern science means there never be another Unknown Soldier.

Order Senator Tom Cotton's book Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp.com, Kronos, and Soundtrap for Storytellers.

Admiral William McRaven (Make Your Bed) reveals how a high school track coach inspired him apply for the Navy SEAL program and why he still compares any struggle he faces to the grueling endurance test of the Navy SEALs “Hell Week.”  He recalls the night he got a gut feeling he was going to catch Saddam and was right, how Saddam never made his bed while he was in McRaven’s custody, and what McRaven said when he finally decided to meet with Saddam face to face.  He talks about the strange experience of personally seeing monsters like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden cut down to size, how he managed to keep the preparation of the Bin Laden raid a secret, and how 1000’s of special operations prepared him for that mission of a lifetime.  Plus he weighs in on the Navy SEAL who stands accused of war crimes, responds to calls for him to run for President, and expresses his sincerest regret that he’s the reason you have to take off your shoes at the airport!

Order Admiral William McRaven's book Sea Stories:
My Life in Special Operations on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by The Life Is Good Ping Podcast, Udacity, and Ancestry.com.

Best-selling author Michael Wolff discusses his new book Siege: Trump Under Fire and how he got so many White House sources to speak to him again after his explosive tell-all Fire and Fury.  He tells how Steve Bannon remains the ultimate Trump insider even though he's on the outs with the President and why Trump's misfortune has always been Bannon's opportunity.  We talk about how Robert Mueller carefully gamed out every step of the Russia probe and whether Mueller may have actually drafted an indictment of Donald Trump.  He shares how Jared Kushner’s suspicious dealings with shady foreign investors jeopardized his White House security clearance and how he sought the counsel of Henry Kissinger in his effort to install himself as Secretary of State.  He reveals why Nikki Haley really resigned as UN Ambassador and how Trump’s inner circle lives in constant fear of the day when the Me Too Movement may finally catch up to Trump.  He sheds some light on Donald and Melania’s marriage of convenience, reveals how Senator Mitch McConnell got the upper hand on the President, and shares how Trump started a family feud at Fox.  

Order Michael Wolff's latest book Siege: Trump Under Fire on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13) discusses his new documentary Pavarotti.  He talks about the art of filmmaking and storytelling, how he approaches a documentary versus a narrative film about a real person, and how he got the idea to present Pavarotti’s story as an opera.  We get into Pavarotti the romantic, how Ron got the various women of Pavarotti’s life to participate in the film, and why Pavarotti often compared his famous voice to a tempestuous lover.  He tells the story of how the Three Tenors were formed, and how Pavarotti took opera into sports stadiums and the mainstream by collaborating with everyone from Steve Wonder to Sting. Plus we talk about Pavarotti’s enormous appetite, his even bigger heart for charity, and Ron’s own chance encounter with this opera legend.

Ron Howard's film Pavarotti opens in theaters Friday, June 7.  Visit www.pavarottifilm.com for information and show times.  Today's podcast was sponsored by The Life is Good Ping Podcast and Udacity.

David Epstein (The Sports Gene) reveals the flaw in the "10,000 hours" theory of deliberate performance, the fallacy of giving children a head-start, and how it could actually hinder them in the long-run.  He shares why athletes should be more like Roger Federer than Tiger Woods and how "serial innovators" tend to have a broad range of knowledge and experience.  David says the internet and open source information is a boon to generalists, but artificial intelligence may put a lot of specialists out of business.  He encourages the trend of midlife career changes and dabbling and suggests it's better to act THEN decide.  Plus how Venetian orphans inspired the world’s greatest composers,  why Nobel laureates always have a hobby, and why experts make terrible forecasters.

Order David Epstein's book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold. Keep up with david at www.davidepstein.com and follow him on twitter at @DavidEpstein.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp.com, SiriusXM Radio , and Ancestry.com.

Neil Gaiman talks about adapting his book Good Omens for television, the book’s long journey to the screen, and how he took the reins as show-runner in a promise to his late co-author Terry Pratchett.  Neil recalls the origins of their book as a fable about nature vs nurture and opens up about the on screen cameo that was just too painful for him to film.  He discusses his writing process, how he manages to avoid distractions, and why he chooses to write across many different mediums.  Plus Neil shares the story of the time he and Michael Sheen accidentally dined on an endangered species and got a front row seat for a federal raid.

Neil Gaiman's six-part limited series Good Omens stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant and is available on Amazon Prime Video beginning Friday, May 31st.  Keep up with Neil at www.neilgaiman.com and follow him on Twitter at @neilhimself.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Udacity.

Liam Cunningham discusses his 7 epic seasons as Sir Davos Seaworth on Game of Thrones and going from fighting "White Walkers" to fighting Ebola in National Geographic Channel's limited series The Hot Zone.  We also talk about his original audition for Game of Thrones, why he first thought he got the polite brush off from the series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and what it's like when he encounters hard-core GoT fans in person.  Then Liam discusses the true story of America’s close call with Ebola in 1989, the very real threat of a new outbreak in the U.S. today, the danger of the modern anti-vaxxer movement, and the importance of striking the right balance between rational and irrational fears.  He talks about filming The Hot Zone in the South African bush, his early years working as an electrician in neighboring Zimbabwe, and how the experience directly led to his pursuing a career in acting.  Plus he reveals the secret to not getting killed off by Game of Thrones producers Benioff and Weiss, we debate whether a knight can really create another knight, and we attempt to figure out who was responsible for that infamous Starbucks cup!

The six-night television event The Hot Zone premieres on Memorial Day, May 27, at 9/8C on National Geographic Channel.  Visit www.nationalgeographic.com for more info and behind-the-scenes extras, and follow Liam on Twitter at @liamcunningham1.  Today's episode was sponsored by Hackable podcast.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Jared Cohen talks about the eight men who succeeded to the presidency without being elected to it and how they changed our history for better or worse.  He reveals that presidential succession wasn’t clearly defined for most of America’s history and that most Vice-Presidents come to the Oval Office with great reluctance and a serious inferiority complex.  We talk about the best and worst accidental presidents, the one who assumed the office with the heaviest burden and the least preparation, and the one who was actually accused of conspiring to murder his predecessor.  Plus Jared suggests a better way to choose a running mate, he talks about his childhood fascination with the JFK conspiracy, and shares unusual hobby - collecting presidential hair.  

Order Jared Cohen's new book Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America on Amazon and follow Jared on Twitter at @JaredCohen.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough discusses his latest book The Pioneers, how it fulfilled his lifelong dream to write a nonfiction version of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, and why he wants his book to serve as reminder of fundamental American values.  He tells the story of the New England minister who played an instrumental role in the creation of the Ohio Settlement, how he fought to outlaw slavery in the territory, and how his son carried on his fight for abolition a few years later.  He talks about the wealthy Irish couple who built a paradise on an island in the Ohio River and how they lost everything when they became embroiled in the Aaron Burr treason scandal. McCullough reveals what he’s learned in his 50 plus years of studying history, the importance of hindsight, and why historical figures feel like old friends.

Order The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  This podcast was sponsored by Ancestry.com.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Bill Hader (SNL, Trainwreck, Barry) talks about his childhood love of film, his early days as a struggling production assistant in Hollywood, and how he's finally getting back to his cinematic roots with his dark comedy series Barry.  He discusses directing the much talked about episode 5 this season, how he staged an epic 30 minute fight scene, and why he had to hire a construction crew to build him the perfect tree.  Hader recalls his original audition for Saturday Night Live, his first meeting with Lorne Michaels, and a few of his favorite obscure impressions from SNL.  He shares what he learned about story from his time in the writers room on South Park and how his love of cheesy true crime shows like Forensic Files and Snapped inform the grittier aspects of Barry.

Watch the season finale of Barry this Sunday May 19 on HBO.  For more on Barry including out-takes and behind the scenes extras, Visit www.hbo.com/barry for more on Barry including outtakes and behind-the-scenes extras.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos HR Solutions and BetterHelp.com.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Jordan Klepper returns to the podcast to talk about getting out of the studio and getting out in the real world again for his new Comedy Central docu-series Klepper.  He tells the story of a wrestling club in Texas that is helping veterans body slam their way through PTSD, what it says about how vets get treated by the VA and by their fellow Americans, and how Jordan faired when he donned a cape and got in the ring with them.  Then Jordan recalls sleeping in the swamp for two nights and capsizing his boat in the Louisiana bayou as part of a direct action protest.  He discusses how Georgia is making life difficult for children of undocumented workers and how they are looking to the civil rights movement of the 60’s for inspiration.  Plus Jordan opens up about the incident that got him arrested and his memorable stay in the Fulton County Jail.

Jordan Klepper's new series Klepper airs Thursdays at 10:30PM ET on Comedy Central.  Visit www.comedycentral.com for more information and follow Jordon on Twitter at @jordanklepper.  Today's episode was sponsored by SiriusXM radio.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Oscar nominated actor and director Sir Kenneth Branagh is the greatest living interpreter of the works of William Shakespeare, and today he talks about his life long love of Shakespeare and stepping into the shoes of his hero for his new film All Is True.  Branagh discusses why he chose to focus on the three years following Shakespeare’s retirement and why he wasn’t afraid to deviate from the accepted biography and embrace the mystery around the man.  He talks about teaming up with writer Ben Elton, forgoing digital graphics in favor traditional matte painting techniques, and the makeup that transformed Kenneth Branagh into the bard himself.  Plus he weighs in on the rumors that the mysterious "dark lady" in Shakespeare’s love sonnets might not have been a lady at all, the sex scandals that embroiled Shakespeare's family in his final years, and speculation that William Shakespeare wasn't the real author of his famous plays.

Kenneth Branagh's film All Is True opens in New York and LA on Friday, May 10 followed by a wide release.  Check your local listings for showtimes.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author, scientist, and renowned polymath Jared Diamond reveals that many of the factors in how individuals cope with personal crises can also predict how countries survive national crises.  He profiles six nations in transition in his new book Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis, and shares his personal experiences and observations about those countries including why one should never utter the word "Finlandization" in Finland, how Chileans in the 1960’s never thought that their democracy would fall to a bloody dictator, and he says this doesn’t bode well for the U.S.  He discusses why some countries like Germany choose to acknowledge their violent past while others like Indonesia choose to bury it.  Then he warns of two nations currently facing crises Japan, who suffers from crippling national debt and an aging/shrinking population, and the United States, where he says the decline of political compromise and voting rights is eroding our democracy.

Order Jared Diamond's terrific book Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold beginning Tuesday May 7.  Today's episode was sponsored by So, Bob podcast, SiriusXM radio, and Zebit.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich talks about his new political thriller Collusion: A Novel and how writing fiction has given him a chance to let his imagination run wild about the darker side of Washington.  He discusses why it’s almost impossible to make up a fictional super-villain like Vladimir Putin, his fascination Putin’s deadly penchant for high profile poisonings, and why he believes that Putin doesn’t mind taking the blame for those murders.  Plus he weighs in on President Trump’s Russia policy, the Mueller Report, what issues will drive the next election, and which Democrat could conceivably beat Donald Trump in 2020.

Order his book Collusion: A Novel on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Newt at www.gingrich360.com, subscribe to his podcast Newt's World, and follow him on twitter at @newtgingrich.  Today's episode was sponsored by BetterHelp.com.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Congressman Seth Moulton talks about why he is running for President, what he sees as his path to the Democratic nomination, and how he plans to defeat President Donald Trump by running on Trump’s weakest issues.  He discusses why he chose do 4 tours of duty as a Marine in Iraq even though he personally opposed the war, what it was like working as a special liaison to tribal leaders in Southern Iraq, and what the experience taught him about compromise and bipartisanship. He reveals why he turned down the platinum health insurance afforded to members of Congress in favor of getting his healthcare at the Veterans Administration, what learned about what works and what doesn’t work at the V.A., and why he opposes a single payer healthcare program.  Plus we talk impeachment, abolishing the electoral college, and how he became the star of a popular Iraqi TV show “Moulton and Mohammed.”

Visit www.sethmoulton.com for more information on Congressman Seth Moulton or to donate/volunteer for his Presidential campaign, and follow him on Twitter at @sethmoulton.  Today's podcast was sponsored by SiriusXM radio, and the new Hulu original series RAMY.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Janet Napolitano served the 4th Secretary of Homeland Security less than a decade after 9/11, and on today's podcast, she reckons with the critics who call it a Frankenstein's Monster of government run amok and takes a hard look at the challenges we'll be facing as it evolves to fight terrorism 2.0.  She likens the job to finding a needle in a haystack and describes how she used methods like "pushing the borders" and TSA-pre-check to shrink that haystack.  She says it takes a "dark imagination" to be Secretary of Homeland Security, but even in her darkest imagination, she never envisioned a hostile foreign government like Russia would interfere in a US Presidential election.  She takes to task politicians who engage in "security theatre," and this former border state governor has a few choice words about President Trump's zero tolerance policy toward illegal immigration.  Plus Janet Napolitano weighs in on the college admissions scandal and outlines what she's doing to address the issue as President of the University of California Board of Regents. 

Order Janet Napolitano's new book How Safe Are We?: Homeland Security Since 9/11 on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Kronos, SiriusXM radio, and the new Hulu original series RAMY.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Former Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt discusses how former college football coach Bill Campbell mentored him and many of Silicon Valley's greatest visionaries from Jeff Bezos and Larry Page to Marc Andreessen and Steve Jobs.  Eric recalls how he initially reacted when venture capitalist John Doerr suggested that he work with a coach, how Coach Campbell helped shape the relationship between Eric and Google's founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and how the coach talked Eric out of resigning as Google’s CEO in 2004.  He shares how Bill Campbell coached teams more than individuals, and talks about the importance of trust and even love to a company's success.  Eric opens up about his decision to step down as Executive Chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet in 2017 and his next big bet on the positive potential of artificial intelligence.  Plus Eric Schmidt reveals why starting a meeting with some little polite chit-chat isn't just a waste of time and the power of hugs in the workplace.

Order Eric's book Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by the new Hulu original series RAMY.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Former Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt discusses how former college football coach Bill Campbell mentored him and many of Silicon Valley's greatest visionaries from Jeff Bezos and Larry Page to Marc Andreessen and Steve Jobs.  Eric recalls how he initially reacted when venture capitalist John Doerr suggested that he work with a coach, how Coach Campbell helped shape the relationship between Eric and Google's founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and how the coach talked Eric out of resigning as Google’s CEO in 2004.  He shares how Bill Campbell coached teams more than individuals, and talks about the importance of trust and even love to a company's success.  Eric opens up about his decision to step down as Executive Chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet in 2017 and his next big bet on the positive potential of artificial intelligence.  Plus Eric Schmidt reveals why starting a meeting with some little polite chit-chat isn't just a waste of time and the power of hugs in the workplace.

Order Eric's book Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by the new Hulu original series RAMY.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

As the longest serving senior official in Obama White House, Valerie Jarrett was known as one who "got" President Obama and helped him engage his public life, but she was also an early mentor, trusted advisor, and family confidante to the Obamas for decades.  She remembers her first impression of Michelle and Barack Obama in 1991, shares her unique perspective on their marriage, and tells the story of the time when Michelle Obama recruited her to help convince a young Barack Obama to give up politics and get “a real job.”  She talks about being the person who kept President Obama connected to the world outside of Washington as director of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and how her own experience as a single working mom influenced her to advocate for women and families.  She describes the surreal/heartbreaking experience of watching the 2016 election returns with the Obamas in the White House residence, how she's been handling the Trump Presidency, and a few of her “pinch me moments” from her 8 years in the Obama Administration.  

Order her book Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by the new Hulu original series RAMY.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Bestselling psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb talks about the event that led her to seek help for herself, what it was like to switch roles and be the patient on the couch, and how her own quirky therapist got to the underlying issues of in life.  She discusses some of her favorite patients including an insufferable Hollywood producer, a newlywed diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the patient who she says was "like looking in a mirror."  Lori offers some ideas for how to address the mental health crisis in America and she weighs in on the ongoing debate among those in her profession over the Goldwater Rule.  Plus Lori reveals whether she’s ever dozed off on a patient, why her own therapist once kicked her in session, and what her colleagues think about her pulling back the curtain on psychotherapy. 

Order her book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Visit her website at LoriGottlieb.com and follow her on twitter at @LoriGottlieb1. Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

As America waits for the full Mueller Report, I talk with the first Trump official to plead guilty in the Mueller Investigation.  George Papadopoulos was the young foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign who reportedly told an Australian diplomat that Russia had thousands of hacked emails that could damage Hillary Clinton and tip the 2016 election to Donald Trump.  He talks about the Maltese professor who first told him about the Clinton emails and why the mysterious professor has now vanished.  I ask him whether he ever attempted to take the professor up on his offer, whether he reported news of the emails back to the Trump campaign, and why he didn’t take this information to U.S. authorities at the time.  Papadopoulos explains why he refused to wear a wire for the FBI, why he says he didn’t intend to lie to the Mueller Investigation, and why he now believes that he was a "patsy" in what may have otherwise been a legitimate investigation into Donald Trump’s connections to Russia.  Plus he discusses why he’s considering withdrawing his guilty plea and whether he might get a pardon from President Trump himself.

Order his book Deep State Target: How I Got Caught in the Crosshairs of the Plot to Bring Down President Trump on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by The Rochester Institute of Technology.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Comedian Chelsea Handler recalls her anger in the wake of the 2016 election and how Donald Trump became the unlikely catalyst for Chelsea to work through some unresolved personal issues with the help of a clever psychiatrist named Dan.  She discusses her decision to walk away from her Netflix talk show in order to dedicate herself to political activism and campaigning for minority and female candidates in 2018.  Chelsea opens up about how the sudden death of her favorite brother impacted every relationship she has had since then, she says she's finally ready to find a serious partner now, and she lists some of her dealbreakers for a potential mate.  Chelsea talks about the moment she realized she was incapable of operating her own television or making herself a cup of coffee, how she cured herself of “domestic amnesia," and she describes the humbling experience of making a documentary about white privilege.  Plus we get into her deep attraction to Robert Mueller, her obsession with rescuing Chow-Chows, how to fake a Jewish funeral, and more.

Order Chelsea Hander's new book Life Will Be the Death of Me: . . . and you too! on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Chelsea at www.chelseahandler.com and follow her on Twitter at @ChelseaHandler.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Kronos and Zebit.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Comedian Wyatt Cenac discusses how he wanted to distinguish his HBO docuseries Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas from his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show including forgoing the traditional studio audience and creating a fun retro 70s look for the show.  He talks about checking his own biases to explore different perspectives on the contentious issue of policing urban communities, what he wants to learn about America’s education system in Season 2 of Problem Areas, and why the topic of school choice is so controversial.  Plus we get into the college admissions scandal, goat yoga, and more.

Season 2 of Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas debuts Friday, April 5 at 11 p.m. ET on HBO.  Visit www.wyattcenac.com for more info on Wyatt including his upcoming standup dates and follow him on twitter at @WyattCenac.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Preet Bharara talks about his eight years as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, what movies and TV get wrong about criminal investigations, and why the job is more than just "connecting the dots" or "following the money."  He says if you want to get a confession out of a bad guy, food works better than playing hardball, he discusses the devil's bargain of cutting deals with cooperating witnesses, and why sometimes the cases you don’t prosecute are just as important as the ones you do.  Plus Preet weigh in on the Mueller Report, whether U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr’s interpretation of the report can be trusted, why Mueller didn’t make any recommendations, and whether Mueller intended to "punt" those decisions to Congress rather than Barr.

Order Preet Bharara's book Doing Justice: A Prosecutor's Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to his podcast Stay Tuned with Preet on Apple Podcasts and follow him on Twitter at @PreetBharara.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Stacey Abrams has become a political superstar since running for governor of Georgia in 2018 and delivering the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union this February.  We talk about her private meeting with Joe Biden, the rumors of a Biden-Abrams ticket in 2020, and what issues she’d campaign on if she does run for national office.  She discusses making history as Georgia House Minority Leader and her party’s nominee for governor, why she refused to concede defeat in the 2018 gubernatorial race, and why she believes widespread voter suppression tipped that election to her opponent.  She explains the careful balancing act of being a woman of color in a position of power, why minority politicians undergo way more financial scrutiny than their white colleagues, and how the Republican Governors Association mocked her for daring to seek higher office as a woman.  Stacey also admits to being a Star Trek: Next Generation "super-fan" and reveals what the show can teach us about outsider politics.  She shares her personal philosophy of "work-life jenga," talks about moonlighting as a successful romance novelist, and opens up about finally making time for dating and romance in her own life.

Order Stacey Abrams' new book Lead from the Outside:
How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Learn more about Stacey’s voting rights group Fair Fight Action at www.fairfightaction.com,
and follow her on twitter at @staceyabrams.  Today's podcast was sponsored by The Rochester Institute of Technology and Brother INKvestment printers.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and take our short listeners survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick.

Jeff Bridges discusses his 6 decades in Hollywood and what he learned about acting from dad Lloyd Bridges.  He recalls the "Little Rascals" version of Tucker that he and Francis Ford Coppola made prior to filming, laughing it up with Robin Williams and Terry Gilliam on the set of The Fisher King, and how he and his brother Beau tested each other in The Fabulous Baker Boys.  He shares stories about making The Last Picture Show, King Kong, Heaven's Gate, The Contender, and True Grit.  He talks about his Big Lebowski fandom, how he feels about being identified with his iconic character "the Dude," and why he says the Dude is a zenmaster.  Then Jeff Bridges gets zen about the environment with his new documentary Living in the Future's Past.  He discusses how we can take a more global approach to climate change, explains the evolutionary roots of our energy consumption, and says humans collectively form a super-organism that is exhausting resources at a faster and faster pace.  He calls for the removal of politics from the climate debate and suggests how everyone can make individual changes that can have a big impact.

Keep up with Jeff at www.jeffbridges.com and be sure to catch his film Living in the Future's Past.  This podcast was sponsored by Heineken and Espresso Monster.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Bestselling authors Dr. Warren Farrell (Why Men Are The Way They Are) and Dr. John Gray (Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus) warn that boys around the world are in crisis and say it's largely the result of a crisis of fathers who suffer from a "purpose void" as their traditional role is being diminished. They reveal how moms and dads parent differently and how fathers use things like rough-housing with the kids to establish boundaries.  They discuss how the lack of boundaries can lead to ADD and ADHD in young men and caution parents to focus on the root cause of ADD before they resort to drugs like Aderall.  They talk about the difficulty they’ve had getting lawmakers to take the boy crisis seriously and offer some recommendations for how the government and our schools can help address this growing problem.

Order John and Warren's new book The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It on Amazon and learn more at www.boycrisis.org.  Keep up with Warren at www.warrenfarrell.com or on twitter at @drwarrenfarrell, and follow John at www.MarsVenus.com or on twitter at @RealJohnGray. Today's podcast was sponsored by Brother INKvestment tank printers.

Alyssa Mastromonaco spent 6 years in the Obama White House as assistant to the president, director of scheduling and advance, and deputy chief of staff for operations.  She says working in the West Wing is a lot like VEEP and recalls some of the lighter moments including getting down on the dance-floor with Michelle Obama,
impersonating a hedge hog for President Obama,
and the time the leader of the free world tried to play matchmaker. She opens up about her at times comical struggles with irritable bowel syndrome including a few close calls at the most inconvenient moments, and the time that she contracted something called "beaver fever" (yes, it’s a real thing) during a state dinner in Tanzania.  She reveals all the care and protocol that went into every foreign trip she planned for President Obama, and why it was more than a little disheartening to watch President Trump bungle his way through a hastily thrown together North Korea summit.  She also warns that Trump’s use of a personal iPhone is a major security risk, she predicts what Democrats will be looking for in 2020, and she advises Dems to banish the term socialism from their vocabulary.

Order Alyssa Mastromonaco's book So Here's the Thing: Notes on Growing Up, Getting Older, and Trusting Your Gut on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow her on twitter at @AlyssaMastro44.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Kronos and BetterHelp.  Please take our annual podcast listener survey and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card at www.podsurvey.com/kick.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review.  Follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

Actor/comedian Bryan Callen (THE GOLDBERGS, SCHOOLED, HANGOVER I & II) shares how his childhood growing up in countries all over the world inspired him to question labels and defy categorization, and he discusses his particular issue with the catch all term "Asians" to describe 48 different nationalities.  We talk about the polarizing effect of political parties, why he believes that liberals and conservatives share the same fundamental values, and why everyone should demand to be treated like a verb instead of a noun.  Bryan gets into the problem of political correctness and says that standup comedy is probably the last bastion of free speech in America.  We talk about how he became associated with mixed martial arts, what it’s like inside the surprisingly inclusive world of MMA, and how women in the UFC cured him of chauvinism.  Plus Bryan thinks he’d be a terrible border patrol agent, his proposal to make the world a better place thought "idea sex," and why at the end of the day we're all just complicated apes.  

Don't miss Bryan's new comedy special BRYAN CALLEN: COMPLICATED APES now available on Comcast, DirecTV, Spectrum, AT&T, Dish, Cox, iTunes, Google Play, PlayStation, Xbox, and many more.  Watch Bryan on his ABC shows THE GOLDBERGS and SCHOOLED, subscribe to his podcasts THE FIGHTER AND THE KID and MIXED MENTAL ARTS on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen, and follow him on twitter at @bryancallen.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Brother INKvestment tank printers.

Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, returns to the podcast to call on Americans to reject the culture of contempt and the outrage industrial complex.  He talks about the event that woke him up to the ugliness of our political discourse two and a half years before the 2016 election.  He pulls back the curtain on how political parties are pushing us farther apart and how talking heads in the media are profitting from stoking division and hate.  Arthur reveals the connection between trolling on social media and personality disorders and his own strategy for handling angry emails and twitter trolls.  He shares what we can learn about civility from the Dalai Lama and a leading marriage counselor.  We discuss the power of stories to bridge divides and the necessity of the competition of ideas to a health democracy.  Plus, Arthur shares what he thinks about President Trump’s two hour speech at last week’s CPAC conference, the time he got mistaken for a Mormon (and loved every minute of it), and why this free-market conservative says everyone needs a friend like Cornel West or Robert George.  

Order Arthur's book Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to The Arthur Brooks Show wherever you listen podcasts and follow him on twitter at @arthurbrooks.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Brother INKvestment Tank Printers and season 2 of Breach podcast.  Please take our annual podcast listener survey and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card at www.podsurvey.com/kick.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

On the 50th Anniversary of the Navy's legendary fighter pilot school known as Top Gun, the founder Captain Dan Pederson discusses how the pilot losses he witnessed in the Vietnam War led to the formation of Top Gun, how he and the other original "9 bros" got it up and running in just a matter of weeks with little or no funding, and what they looked for in new recruits.  He recalls the days before Top Gun when aerial combat training was banned by the military and how he and his fellow pilots learned their skills at a secret fight club in the sky off the coast of San Diego.  He talks about getting to train against real Russian MIG fighter jets at the most classified location in America, the mental and physical stamina required to perform the kind of aerial acrobatics taught at Top Gun, and the toll that it can take on a pilot’s personal life.  Plus Dan shares what the famous movie Top Gun gets wrong, he reveals the absolute worst weather to fly in, and he offers a few choice words about the Pentagon’s current reliance on the costly F-35 fighter jet.

Order Captain Dan Pederson's book TOP GUN: AN AMERICAN STORY on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Please take our annual podcast listener survey and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card at www.podsurvey.com/kick.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

Roger McNamee was a mentor to a young Mark Zuckerberg and an early investor in Facebook, but now he warns that the social media platform has become a threat to democracy, privacy, competition, and even public health.  He talks about when he noticed the first signs that not all was well at Facebook and what happened when he brought his concerns to his old friend.  He discusses the role that Facebook played in the 2016 election, how its algorithms are actually designed to polarize and spread disinformation, and how Russian trolls and companies like Cambridge Analytica were able to exploit those flaws.  Roger shares how Facebook employs tricks from psychology and slot machines to keep us coming back for more, and how you’re paying for the service with your personal data.

Order Roger McNamee's book Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today’s podcast sponsored by Brother INKestment printers, BetterHelp, and season 2 of Breach podcast. Please support the show by taking our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick, and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card.   Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

For 30 years, DEA special agent Jack Riley led the manhunt for the world’s most wanted drug-lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.   He reveals how El Chapo cleverly wrangled the cocaine trade from the Columbian cartels, how he saw America’s growing opiod epidemic as an opportunity to branch out into meth and heroine, and how he managed to run a multi-billion dollar drug empire from a Mexican prison (until he escaped).  Jack discusses being on the dangerous front-lines of the war on drugs as head of the DEA’s El Paso, TX office, how it led to $100,000 price on his head, and what he learned about policing the border, how drugs get into America, and where they go from there.  He reveals how Guzman escaped capture so many times,  and how the Mexican government had to postpone a raid on his compound because of actor Sean Penn.  We talk about the recent El Chapo trial, the US opiod epidemic and what needs to be done to address it, criminal justice reform, Donald Trump’s wall, and Trump’s wild assertion that El Chapo put out a hit on him.

Order Jack Riley’s new book Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Today’s podcast sponsored by Brother Printers INKvestment printer.  Please support the show by taking our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick, and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card.   Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

France’s leading public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy accuses President Trump of following the same path of retreat begun by Barack Obama and suggests it has created a void that is now being filled by five old-world empires that are making an unlikely resurgence. Bernard-Henri talks about the Iran Nuclear deal and the larger problem of the Middle East, he discusses his long association with the Kurds who he says represent a hopeful new path for Islam, and he recalls his own role in the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi. He also gets into Russia’s election meddling and what he calls the assault on truth, why he worries that Brexit could lead to end of EU, and the rise of nationalism in his own country represented by the yellow vest protests.

Order his book The Empire and the Five Kings: America's Abdication and the Fate of the World on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Please support the show by taking our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/kick, and register to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod, and visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

Parag Khanna says America has a China problem and the solution is Asia.  He suggests that rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership and building stronger ties with other countries in the region are much more effective and less risky ways to gain leverage over China than a direct trade war.  He reveals what President Trump gets wrong when he says that America holds all the cards with China, and suggests that Trump’s tariffs may actually hasten China’s push to become self-sufficient.  He talks about the booming markets emerging in other parts of Asia and how leading American tech companies are getting in on the game by signing major manufacturing agreements in place like India, South Korea, and Vietnam.  Parag also discusses the growing cultural influence represented by the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians and discusses a new trend of Asian-Americans crossing back over the Pacific to pursue opportunities as "American-Asians."

Order Parag Khanna's new book THE FUTURE IS ASIAN on Amazon or Audible, and follow him at ParagKhanna.com or on twitter at @ParagKhanna.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos and BetterHelp.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and rate and review the podcast.  Like Kickass News on Facebook and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  For more interesting stuff, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

Legendary comedy writer and director Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Borat) talks about traveling the world in search of humor in the most unusual, unexpected and deadliest places for his new Netflix series Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy.  He talks about meeting former child soldiers who perform standup in a cemetery in Liberia, the "Jon Stewart" of Iraq who has a price on his head, and the imprisoned terrorist who wanted to show Larry the lighter side of ISIS.  Larry also tells stories about working on the early seasons of Seinfeld, why Kramer was his favorite character to write for, and what he says Seinfeld has in common with Superman.  He shares how Larry David used to fight with audiences in comedy clubs, why David threw a fit when NBC wanted to move Seinfeld to the most coveted time slot in television, and what it’s like to direct Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm.  We discuss how Borat and Bruno exposed racist and authoritarian leanings in the US and abroad long before 2016, why Larry Charles had to play a character while he was directing those movies, and the crazy amount of commitment it required from that hilarious mad genius Sacha Baron Cohen.  Plus, what it was like to grow up in Brooklyn’s Trump Village (yes, that Trump!), how Larry went from selling drugs to selling jokes outside the Comedy Store in Hollywood, and the one country that scared the living hell out of him while making Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy. 

Watch all four episodes of Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy available on Netflix now.  Follow Larry on Twitter at @LarryCharlesisms.  Today's episode was sponsored by Brother INKvestment Tank Printers.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and rate and review the podcast.  Like Kickass News on Facebook and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  For more interesting stuff, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com.

Former NJ Governor Chris Christie sets the record straight about his tenure as a corruption-busting prosecutor and a Republican running a Democratic state, as well as what really happened on the 2016 campaign trail and inside Trump Tower.  He recalls how his friendship with Donald Trump began and the nasty details of the infamous Charles Kushner case that would later come back to haunt him.  He talks about why he passed on running for President in 2012, Hurricane Sandy and that notorious Obama hug (which he says wasn’t really a hug), and how the Romney campaign used it as a scapegoat for their own candidate’s shortcomings.  Christie reveals that he even had to convince his own son that he had nothing to do with the George Washington Bridge closure and in the end it boiled down to stupid people doing stupid things.  I ask him if he thinks the Trump-Russia collusion may turn out to be a similar situation, he says he could tell General Mike Flynn was trouble from day one, he talks about his former colleagues Bob Mueller and James Comey, and he shares the advice he gave President Trump when the whole Russia investigation began.  He reveals why he believed he was going to be tapped as Trump’s running mate, how Jared Kushner tossed out the entire Trump transition plan just to get even with him, and the day he finally got fed up and said "I’m done."  Plus Chris Christie on how he became the first Youtube Governor, why he unfollowed every New Jersey reporter on Twitter, and why it took him 3 months to convince Donald Trump to cash his check.

Order Chris Christie's book Let Me Finish: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and the Power of In-Your-Face Politics on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow him on twitter at @ChrisChristie.  Today's episode was sponsored by BetterHelp.com.

Madeleine Albright fled fascists during her childhood and faced them down as Secretary of State, and today she comes on the podcast to warn that fascism is once again on the rise.  She shares how her own refugee experience during World War II and the Cold War shaped her worldview and recalls her meetings with with authoritarian strongmen like Kim Jong-il, Slobodan Milošević, and Vladimir Putin.  She reveals that most fascists come into office through democratic elections or a constitutional transfer of powers, not a bloody coup, and in her experience, dictators can be surprisingly normal and polite despite their monstrous cruelty.  She discusses the upcoming summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, says Putin plays a poor hand well and Trump plays a good hand poorly, and calls out Donald Trump as "the least democratic President in American history."

Order Madeleine Albright's book Fascism: A Warning on Amazon and follow her on twitter at @madeleine.  Today's episode was sponsored by BetterHelp.com.

Former AOL exec and chairman of National Geographic Society Jean Case talks about her new book Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose.  She says leaders need to start viewing risk as R&D and failure as a learning experience.  In fact, Jean Case encourages people to talk about their own mistakes by sharing her own "failure resume" and hosting "fail tests."  She discusses why CEO’s need to get out of their bubble and get uncomfortable, and how greater diversity actually affects an organization's bottom line.  Plus she reveals the coolest thing about being the first female chairman of the National Geographic Society and talks about National Geographic’s history of fearless women going back over 125 years.

Order Jean's book Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose on Amazon and learn more about the Case Foundation at www.casefoundation.org.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kronos Payroll Solutions, Blinkist, and Homesick Candles.

Encore.org founder Marc Freedman says seniors are an untapped resource and calls on society to stop segregating the elderly from society and renew the bond between young and old.  Marc talks about the mentors who influenced his life, what we can learn from the movie The Intern, and the evidence that shows that seniors who take an interest in a young person actually live longer, happier lives.  He talks about the elderly neighbors who act as "surrogate grandparents" to his own children, calls out the interests who are trying to pit baby boomers and millennials against each other, and reveals why artificial intelligence may create greater demand for the kind of interactions that only seniors can offer.  Plus we talk about the starry eyed dreamer who accidently created an "age apartheid," how Otto Von Bismark decided your retirement age, and why your kid’s next college roommate might be older than you are!

Be sure to visit Encore.org for more information and order Marc Freedman's book How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Homesick Candles.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Cliff Sims recalls his time as President Trump's Director of Messaging Strategy in a chaotic White House that he likens to "Game of Thrones with the cast of VEEP."  He shares the real story behind the fiasco around Trump’s inauguration numbers, how the administration takes disorganization to a whole new level, and how many times the President’s senior staff learn of about major policy decisions on cable news.  He recalls helping President Trump draft his notorious "enemies list," how he learned that Kelly Anne Conway was leaking to the press, and why he believes former WH Chief of Staff John Kelly had it in for him.  He discusses how he reconciles his own conservative evangelical values with the President’s less than Christian behavior, how he came to grips with the hard learned lesson that everyone is disposable to Donald Trump, and why he still respects the President even after Trump disavowed Sims and his book in typical Trump fashion - via an angry tweet.  Plus the Mooch is on loose, Sean Spicer needs a refrigerator, and the greatest mystery of all - Donald Trump’s hair!

Order his latest book Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetterHelp and Homesick Candles.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Science Communicator Professor Brian Cox reveals why he left a popular rock band for a career in particle physics, what he is learning through his participation in the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, and why he says the LHC has disproven the existence of ghosts.  He discusses Brexit, the vital link between democracy and science, and his concern over the growing education disparity.  He talks about walking in the footsteps of his hero Carl Sagan as a leading science communicator, the scientific concept that he has the hardest time explaining to non-scientists, and how the digital effects wizards behind the movie INTERSTELLAR are helping him elucidate the wonders of the universe in his spectacular new live show UNIVERSAL: ADVENTURES IN SPACE AND TIME.  Plus Brian says he's ready to call a truce in his ongoing feud with Deepak Chopra.

Visit www.profbriancoxlive.com for dates, tickets and information for Brian Cox's live tour UNIVERSAL: ADVENTURES IN SPACE AND TIME.  Subscribe to Brian’s podcast THE INFINITE MONKEY CAGE and follow him on twitter at @ProfBrianCox. Today's podcast was sponsored by Homesick Candles, Flatiron School, and Blinkist. Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper, The Paradise Lost trilogy) reexamines America's most notorious serial killer on the 30th anniversary of his execution in his new Netflix documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.  He discusses how one of Bundy’s first jobs gave him an inside view of the flaws in America’s law enforcement system, how Bundy exploited those weaknesses to his own devilish advantage,
and how it led to dramatic changes in how the FBI hunts serial killers and how state and local police share information.  We talk about how Ted Bundy’s clean cut good looks helped him elude capture, and the movie heart-throb who Joe Berlinger cast as Bundy in his new feature film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.  We talk about the media circus that turned Ted Bundy into a household name, the influence that the Bundy trial had on the true crime genre, and why Berlinger, known as the father of the true crime documentary, doesn’t actually like the term "true crime."

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes is available on Netflix beginning January 24 and look for Joe's feature film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend and in theatres soon.  Keep up with Joe at www.joeberlinger.com or on Twitter at @JoeBerlinger.  Today's episode is sponsored by Betterhelp.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Dr. Phil McGraw says that some of his guests still surprise him even after 2000+ episodes of his #1 daytime talk show The Dr. Phil Show.  He recalls how losing a football game in junior high school inspired him to go into psychology, what it was like to go into practice with his father, and why he eventually decided to go from getting into the minds of his patients to getting into the minds of juries as a trial consultant.  He explains how that put him into contact with Oprah Winfrey, how he convinced her to move her entire TV operation to Amarillo, Texas for 3 months during the famous mad cow beef trial, and why he was initially hesitant when Oprah first invited him to come on her show.  He discusses his belief that problems are complex but solutions are often fairly simple, but he also says don’t be fooled by the magic of television and his easy going manner.  He says hours of research and peer review by America’s top doctors go into every single episode of The Dr. Phil Show.  He shares a little relationship advice from his 42 years of marriage, how his wife Robin is the "Dr Phil to Dr Phil" who always keeps him in check, and why Robin still sits in the audience of every taping of his show.  Then Dr Phil discusses how his new podcast Phil in the Blanks is a welcome chance to interview interesting people without the pressure of having to solve their problems, why he desperately wants to get O.J. Simpson on the show, and why he's planning to enter the popular true crime genre for his next project.  Plus why he never volunteers advice to his friends, what he would say if he was mediating the government shutdown negotiations, and he weighs in on the prospect of an Oprah for President campaign in 2020.

Subscribe to Dr. Phil's new podcast Phil in the Blanks
on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify, and visit www.drphilintheblanks.com for more information and upcoming guests.  The Dr. Phil Show airs weekdays and you can go to www.drphil.com to find your local listings.  Follow Phil McGraw on Twitter at @DrPhil.  Today's episode is sponsored by Flatiron School.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

A year ago, Dr. Steven Pinker's book Enlightenment Now made headlines for giving hard data that proved that the world is safer, happier, and freer than ever, but he was surprised by how many people just don't want to believe good news!  Today Dr. Pinker returns to the podcast to review the metrics of societal progress that continue to show that the world just keeps getting better, but he also discusses two areas that give him cause for concern.  Steven Pinker ponders whether the immigration debate might actually be a positive turning point as polls show that Americans are rejecting alternative facts and alarmism.  He reveals how genetics may play a part in our political preferences and explores how linguistics can make for more productive political discussions.  Dr. Pinker recalls growing up during the turbulent 60’s in Montreal and how he went from a teenage anarchist to a leading proponent of science, reason, humanism, and progress.  Plus we discuss his ongoing fight against political correctness, why we need to stop giving words too much power, and why he says those baby boomers who say millenials are a generation of snowflakes have no one but themselves.

Order his latest book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with him on Twitter at @sapinker or at www.stevenpinker.com.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Blinkist.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Howie Mandel talks about making his first comedy special in 20 years, his childhood growing up in Toronto, and how the show Candid Camera inspired him to pull an elaborate prank that got him expelled form high school. He shares how "winging it" the first time he want on stage turned into his signature improvisational style, and how he still finds much of his comedic inspiration from interacting with his audience.  He recalls opening for Diana Ross in Vegas, his very first TONIGHT SHOW appearance, how the HBO YOUNG COMEDIANS SPECIAL changed his life, and the time when a sitcom audition led to his getting cast in the serious TV medical drama SAINT ELSEWHERE. Howie reveals why he originally turned down the offer to host DEAL OR NO DEAL and the anxiety he gets whenever he sees contestants making bad decisions on the show.  He opens up about his struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder, and how he went from fearing that it might be a career killer to using his fame to raise awareness of mental health issues.  Plus Howie Mandel gives the secret to winning the golden buzzer on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT.

Howie's new comedy special HOWIE MANDEL PRESENTS HOWIE MANDEL AT THE HOWIE MANDEL COMEDY CLUB this Friday Jan 18 at 10PM E/P on Showtime.  DEAL OR NO DEAL airs Wednesdays at 9AM ET on CNBC and AGT: CHAMPIONS airs Mondays on NBC at 8PM ET.  Follow Howie on Twitter at @HowieMandel.  Today's episode is sponsored by Flatiron School and Hackable podcast.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Abbi Jacobson opens up about the frustrations of TV development hell, playing “herself” on Comedy Central’s Broad City, and being a woman in a position of power.  She discusses her ongoing struggle with work-life balance, how it took a book deal just to make her take 3 weeks off to travel the country and get over a broken heart, and how that trip taught her that “the things we’re most afraid of, are the things that will most change us.”  Abbi reveals how she and co-creator Ilana Wexler got Amy Poehler to champion Broad City for television, how they convinced Hillary Clinton to guest star in the middle of the election, and what you can learn about a TV network from the snack selection in the lobby.  Plus Abbi Jacobson talks aura readings in Sedona, feeling a little out of place at a Mormon lodge in Utah, and why a bed and breakfast is the worst place to go when you just want to be alone!

Order Abbi's new book I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff on Amazon or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Abbi on Twitter at @AbbiJacobson, and don’t miss the final season of Broad City beginning January 24 on Comedy Central.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Brad Meltzer is the #1 bestselling author of political thrillers like The Escape Artist and The Inner Circle.  Today he talks about making his first foray into nonfiction for his latest book The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, all the research that went into it, and his initial concern that a long forgotten rumor of a secret plot to assassinate America’s founding father might turn out to be just that - a rumor.  He tells the story of America’s "other Benedict Arnold" and the deadly conspiracy by some of the very men charged with protecting George Washington’s life.  He reveals how the incident gave birth to American counterintelligence, why Washington wasted no time in making an example of one of the traitor, and why there was a deliberate effort to cover-up the plot to kill Washington for more than 240 years.  Plus he shares some of the wild conspiracy theories he hears from his fans at book signings, his alarm over the explosion of conspiracy thinking and paranoia in American politics, and a few memories of his friend the late President George H.W. Bush.

Order THE FIRST CONSPIRACY: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington on Amazon or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Brad at BradMeltzer.com or on twitter at @BradMeltzer.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Actor Bill Murray (Lost in Translation, Rushmore) discusses how his music and poetry album New Worlds evolved out of a chance meeting with classical cellist Jan Vogler on a flight from Berlin to NYC. Plus, Bill Murray shares his philosophy of life, his favorite American humorists, and his thoughts on being an internet folk hero.

New Worlds is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, or wherever you buy music.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and visit www.kickassnews.com for more fun stuff.

Today's episode is a rerun of my interview with journalist Bob Woodward that originally aired 11/04/15.  Bob talks about his book "THE LAST OF THE PRESIDENT'S MEN" which chronicles the White House career of Alexander Butterfield, who served as deputy assistant to President Nixon.  Through countless documents and hours of interviews, Butterfield gave Bob Woodward a revealing glimpse into the disfunction, paranoia, and corruption in the Nixon White House.  Woodward talks about how Alex Butterfield oversaw the installation of the infamous taping machine in the Oval Office and served as the right-hand man to Nixon Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman.  We'll talk about the isolated world of Richard Nixon, Nixon's relationship with his wife and with Henry Kissinger, Nixon's awkward though likely unconsummated flirtations with White House secretaries, and the chip on Nixon's shoulder that haunted him his entire life.  Plus we'll talk about the man known as "Deep Throat."

If you enjoy this episode, then go to Amazon to order Bob Woodward's fascinating new book "THE LAST OF THE PRESIDENT'S MEN."

Today's episode is a rerun of an interview with Anthony Bourdain that originally aired 10/12/17.  Anthony speaks candidly about the problem of food waste, who is to blame, and who is working on solutions.  He discusses how he and his fellow chefs have been fighting this battle for years in their own kitchens, including embracing the "snout to tail" movement, renaming so called "trash fish," and even turning table scraps into delicious pork.  He also shares how he manages to juggle his a hectic travel schedule, waxes about his love of Vietnam, and reveals some of his most cherished comfort foods.  Plus, Tony and I gripe about California's newly revived foie gras ban and the term "foodie."

Anthony Bourdain's new documentary Wasted: The Story of Food Waste is available in the theatres, on demand, on Amazon, and on iTunes beginning this Friday, October 13.  Visit www.wastedfilm.com for more information.  Keep up with Anthony Bourdain on his website www.explorepartsunknown.com or on Twitter at @Bourdain.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/KICK.  Visit www.kickassnews.com for more fun stuff.

John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan discuss their childhood love of the Laurel & Hardy movies, stepping into the shoes of the legendary comedy duo for their new film Stan & Ollie, and the transformation that allowed John to step in the famously large pants of Oliver Hardy.  They share how Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's 35 year showbiz partnership was a lot like a marriage, what it was like for Steve and John to find that same chemistry (having never worked together before), and how their director's emergency apendactomy gave them an opportunity to bond during an impromptu pilgrimage to Stan Laurel's hometown in England.  Plus John C. Reilly talks about being part of another famous comedy duo with Will Ferrell, Steve and John reveal how they recreated some of Laurel and Hardy's most iconic routines, and we debate the pros and cons of the old Hollywood studio system and the controversy over Oliver Hardy’s most memorable line.

Stan & Ollie which opens in theatres in New York and Los Angeles this Friday December 28.  Visit www.sonyclassics.com/stanandollie for showtimes and more information.  Today's podcast was sponsored by BetDSI.com.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Leon Panetta talks about hard decisions, worthy fights, and "governing by leadership instead of by crisis."  He recalls growing up in Monterey, California as the first generation of Italian immigrants and warns the Trump Administration’s harsh immigration policies could mean fewer immigrant success stories like his own.  He reveals how he started out his political career as a Republican until President Richard Nixon fired him for daring to enforce civil rights.  He shares some early lessons in political civility and bipartisanship from his mentor Senator Thomas Kuchel and how those lessons served him well as a Congressman and President Bill Clinton’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget.  He discusses stepping in as Clinton’s Chief of Staff during a particularly chaotic time in his Presidency, how his early military training helped him get the White House in shape, and some words of advice he recently shared with President Trump’s outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly.  Panetta admits to his surprise when years later President Obama tapped him for Director of the CIA, opens up about what went through his mind as he watched the Bin Laden raid go down, and says that Obama’s failure to enforce his own red line on Syria’s chemical weapons may have embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Learn more about the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at www.panettainstitute.org.  Thank you to the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum for hosting this interview.  Today's podcast was sponsored by the new Wondery podcast Safe for Work and Ben Sasse's audiobook Them: Why We Hate Each Other and How to Heal.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Paul Lieberstein (THE OFFICE) talks about his 20 year struggle with crippling back pain inspired his funny and moving directorial debut film SONG OF BACK AND NECK.  He shares how the king of indie filmmaking Mark Duplass convinced him to make the movie himself rather than selling it to a Hollywood studio, how he made something as seemingly mundane as back pain visually interesting on the screen, and the complications that arise when you're directing yourself.  We talk about his nine seasons playing Toby on THE OFFICE and what it was like to do double duty as actor and show runner.  He reveals that NBC initially didn’t think the show would last more than a few episodes and weighs in recent talk of an OFFICE revival.  Plus, he addresses how THE OFFICE’s Michael Scott might fare in the age of Me Too, whether there was more to Michael Scott’s visceral hatred for Toby, and some favorite fan theories including one that suggests that Toby was secretly the "Scranton killer."

Watch Paul Lieberstein's wonderful film SONG OF BACK AND NECK available on Video on Demand, and follow Paul on twitter at @PaulLieberstein.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Espresso Monster, BetDSI.com, Zeel, and Ben Sasse's audiobook Them: Why We Hate Each Other and How to Heal.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at www.kickassnews.com, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Comedian Pete Holmes talks about his new HBO comedy special PETE HOLMES: DIRTY CLEAN, paying his dues as a comic, and all of life’s weird and wonderful questions.  Pete says standup is still his first love, but podcasting is how he makes friends these days, and he believes everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should start of podcast of their own.  He talks about being a brand new father, why his audiences always want him to complain about his baby, and why he’s determined not to be that parent who indoctrinates his daughter with his own beliefs.  He discusses growing up evangelical, his spiritual evolution, how he learned that comedians aren’t all sinful scumbags...and even if they are, they can still be pretty good people.  He reveals what’s autobiographical on his series CRASHING, the real life comedians behind some of the words of wisdom that he receives on the show, and how he’s addressing the Me Too movement in Season 3.  Plus, Pete Holmes offers some sage advice like "tell a pregnant woman she looks small," "tell twins they’re nothing alike," "be better than a grouper," and "don’t be a slave to an iWatch."

PETE HOLMES: DIRTY CLEAN debuts Saturday (12/15) at 10:00 PM E/P on HBO.  Mark your calendars for Season 3 of CRASHING which begins January 20 on HBO, and subscribe to Pete's podcast YOU MADE IT WEIRD on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you like to listen.  Follow Pete on twitter at @peteholmes.

The legendary Tina Brown returns to talk about growing up in an entertainment family, how she got expelled from 3 different boarding schools for being a “subversive influence,” and how that same subversiveness served her well as editor of Vanity Fair.  Tina talks about her 37 year marriage to the former editor of The Sunday Times - Harry Evans, and their morning ritual of having a “news buffet.”  She talks about turning around The New Yorker after her successful run at Vanity Fair, how she adapted from magazines to the immediacy of digital news when she founded The Daily Beast, and what is was like working with media mogul Barry Diller.  She recalls her torturous years running Talk Magazine with the infamous Harvey Weinstein, finding some peculiar open-ended book contracts with young women when she ran Talk Books, and leading the charge of the Me Too era with her Women in the World Summit.  She reveals what recently attracted her to enter the world of podcasting, how her new show TBD with Tina Brown is a return to her roots as a journalist, and why “the mix” still matters whether you’re running a magazine or a podcast.  Plus, the author of The Diana Chronicles has some advice for Meghan Markle on how to navigate palace intrigues.

Subscribe to Tina's new podcast TBD with Tina Brown on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen, learn more about her Women in the World Summit at www.womenintheworld.com, and follow her on twitter at @TinaBrownLM.  Today's episode was sponsored by Human Rights Watch, Espresso Monster, and The Flatiron School.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Historian H.W. Brands discusses his new book Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants.  Professor Brands talks about how these three political giants crafted the Compromise of 1850 which barely held the Union together, why none of these three men was ever elected President, and how compromise went from being politics at its finest to a dirty word in today’s Washington.  He discusses John Calhoun’s beliefs that slavery was a moral virtue and that states had the right to nullify any federal law, and he says that the moralizing of abolitionists like Daniel Webster actually drove Calhoun to take an increasingly more extreme position on slavery.  He recalls Webster's legendary oratory skills in the days when eloquence was a ticket to political fame, and how one of Webster’s speeches once brought the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to tears.  Then he shares how Henry Clay earned the nickname "the great compromiser" by playing referee between Webster and Calhoun, and why Clay believed that the South would eventually outgrow slavery if he could just postpone a civil war long enough.

Order his new book Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold and follow him on twitter at @hwbrands.  Today's episode was sponsored by The Flatiron School.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Trevor Noah talks about his new standup special TREVOR NOAH: SON OF PATRICIA and why he dedicated it to his mom whom he calls “the first comedian that he ever saw” and “most gangster human being you’ll ever meet in your life.”  He discusses growing up in South Africa during Apartheid, the power of humor to fight oppression, and why he believes that hateful words aren’t nearly as important as addressing with the hate itself.  He shares how the 2016 election affected his own vision for THE DAILY SHOW, why the current President reminds him of certain African dictators,
and how he deciphers what’s news and what’s nonsense in the age of Trump.  Plus Trevor talks about interviewing President Barak Obama, whether he would be down to do the same with Donald Trump, and the question that he would most like ask the 45th President.

Watch Trevor Noah's new standup special TREVOR NOAH: SON OF PATRICIA now available on Netflix, order his memoir BORN A CRIME on Amazon, and watch THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH every weeknight at 11PM ET on Comedy Central.  Visit www.trevornoah.com for more on Trevor including upcoming tour dates, and follow him on twitter at @TrevorNoah.  Today's episode was sponsored by Human Rights Watch, Espresso Monster, Zeel, and Bombas.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

David Priess returns to deliver a colorful political history of the schemes, maneuvers, and conspiracies that have attempted to remove unwanted presidents.  He discusses the various President’s who’ve died in office of natural and unnatural causes including two President’s who some suspect may have been poisoned and a bizarre conspiracy by a cabal of wealthy businessman to overthrow President Franklin Roosevelt.  He explains the 25th Amendment which allows for the President’s Cabinet and Congress to declare a leader physically or mentally unfit to serve, the two Presidents who played instrumental roles in crafting it, and the closest we ever came to using it.  He walks us through the surprising history of Presidential mental illness and why some of Richard Nixon’s closest advisors questioned whether he was mentally stable.  We talk about the process of impeachment, when Presidential lies rise the level of a "high crime or misdemeanor," and whether he thinks Congress could realistically impeach President Trump.  Plus, the man who served as the daily intelligence briefer to former FBI director Robert Mueller weighs in on the Russia investigation, what might be going through Mueller's mind right now, and what we can expect as the investigation winds toward a conclusion.

Order David Priess's book How to Get Rid of a President: History's Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with David at www.lawfareblog.com/contributors/dpriess or on twitter at @DavidPriess.  Today's episode was sponsored by The Flatiron School.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Best-selling crime novelist Michael Connelly talks about his literary hero Raymond Chandler, how he followed in the footsteps of the king of detective noir when he first came to Los Angeles, and how Chandler’s novels influenced his own writing.  He reveals why he spent over two decades working as a crime reporter before diving into fiction, how he went about cultivating relationships with LAPD’s top homicide detectives, and how those sources still inform his work today.  He talks about creating his most famous character Harry Bosch, how he came to name him after the 15th century Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, and how Michael's role as a writer and executive producer of the BOSCH television series has influenced his novels including his latest book DARK SACRED NIGHT.  Plus Michael Connelly shares why he gravitates to characters who are loners, some of the craziest things that his friends at LAPD have ever seen, and why he’s jumping into the world of true crime podcasts for his next project.

Order Michael Connelly's book DARK SACRED NIGHT on Amazon, watch BOSCH available on Amazon Prime Video, and subscribe to his upcoming podcast MURDER BOOK on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like listen. Keep up with Michael at www.michaelconnelly.com or on twitter at @ConnellyBooks.  Today's episode was sponsored by Human Rights Watch and The Flatiron School.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Legendary newsman Dan Rather talks about his 60 year career and how his travels and conversations have given him a “wide shot” of the American experience and the values that unite us.  He condemns recent attacks on some on those values (including freedom of the press), he shares his own family's experience during the Great Depression as a lesson in empathy, and he recalls how his time spent with men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Medger Evers opened his eyes to institutionalized racism in America.  He talks frankly about how his own thinking has evolved on some social issues, and he weighs in on the recent rash of sexual harassment scandals that have rocked the news business.  He discusses a few of the dozen Presidents he’s known in his 60 years as a journalist and reveals the one word that has always carried Dan Rather through good times and bad.

Order Dan Rather's book WHAT UNITES US: REFLECTIONS ON PATRIOTISM on Amazon or download the audio version on Audible.  Follow him on twitter at @DanRather or at www.newsandguts.com.  Today’s episode is sponsored by Loop Jewelry.

General Stanley McChrystal talks about the myths and reality of leadership.  He shares how he came to reassess the legacy of his military hero General Robert E. Lee in the aftermath of Charlottseville, how he personally learned that the man at the top often gets credit he doesn’t deserve, and why leaders aren’t always judged by their results.  He discusses a 15th century Chinese admiral who has become the symbol for that country’s global ambitions, why he didn’t realize that Coco Chanel was a real person, and one leadership flaw that he shares with Walt Disney.  He reveals why he decided to include his former enemy in combat Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the book, and what it was like to get into the dark mind of the Al Qaeda in Iraq leader.  

Order General McChrystal's book Leaders: Myth and Reality on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.   Today's episode was sponsored by Espresso Monster, Homecoming on Amazon Prime Video, Zeel, Bombas, and Flatiron School. Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Spiderman, The Grand Budapest Hotel) shares how his beginnings in experimental theater inform his acting, what draws him to independent films, and what it’s like to make his 100th movie.  He talks about how his latest film At Eternity's Gate challenges the image of Vincent Van Gogh as a unappreciated mad genius and rethinks the constructs of the traditional biopic.  He reveals what it was like to immerse himself in Van Gogh’s world and find his inspiration in the very same scenery that inspired one of the greatest artists of all time.  He discusses the pressure of having to recreate iconic works art in real time and in front of the camera, and how artist/director Julian Schnabel taught him to "paint the light."  Plus we talk about the time Willem Dafoe tried to summon the ghost of Houdini and the beauty of "embracing the mystery in life."

See Willem Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate opening in theaters November 16.  Today's episode was sponsored by National Security Agency Career Recruitment, Homecoming on Amazon Prime Video, and Loop Jewelry.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Greg Miller is one of the reporters for The Washington Post who received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for his groundbreaking stories on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, and the resulting investigations of the Trump campaign and administration.  Today he shares how he cornered the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at a science conference in Washington and caught General Michael Flynn in a blatant lie about his dealings with Russian officials.  He describes the almost comical level of incompetence surrounding the 2016 DNC hacks, gives an insider's look at the secretive Russian hacking agencies known as Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear, and the troll farm behind Russia’s social media influence campaign.  He defends the Post’s longstanding practice of using anonymous sources and explains how they go about verifying those stories.  Greg reveals efforts by the White House to derail the Washington Post’s reporting on Trump’s Russia connections,
and how he learned that President Trump discussed targeting him personally and even putting him in jail for refusing to reveal his sources.  Plus he discusses what happened to the Trump-Mueller meeting that never was and we speculate on just what it is that Vladimir Putin might have on Donald Trump.

Order Greg Miller's book The Apprentice: Trump, Russia, and the Subversion of American Democracy on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  You can read Greg’s reporting in The Washington Post and follow him on twitter at @gregpmiller.  Today's episode was sponsored by National Security Agency Career Recruitment, Homecoming on Amazon Prime Video, Flatiron School, and the StarTalk All-Stars podcast.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Comedian Chris Gethard illustrates his personal and professional manifesto "lose well" with hilarious and ultimately empowering tales about his own missteps, misadventures, and public failures from the cancellation of his Comedy Central sitcom after ten episodes to rediscovering his comedic voice and life’s purpose on a public access channel.  He recalls how getting miscast in a school production of Bye Bye Birdie changed his life, the time he invited a heckler on stage during his comedy set, and why the host of a rival cable access show tried to sue him for "violating her Constitutional rights.”  He discusses his love for Andy Kaufman, ponders whatever happened to cable access tv, and shares some of the wonderfully weird things he got away with on The Chris Gethard Show.  Plus, Chris reveals how he handles political differences on his show Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People and talks about "the worst scumbag he ever met."

Order Chris Gerhard's book Lose Well on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to his podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen and follow Chris Gethard on Twitter at @ChrisGethard.  Today's episode was sponsored by National Security Agency Career Recruitment and Espresso Monster.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Roger Daltrey, founder/lead singer of The Who, discusses how the hardships experienced by Brits in WWII paved the way for the musical revolution of the 1960s, he recalls what it was like to be the poster-boys for the British “mod” movement (and why he never fully embraced the fad), and he remembers the “utter chaos” of performing at Woodstock. He talks about how he and Peter Townsend pushed each other’s creative boundaries during the making of the first rock opera Tommy, how he managed to resist the drug fueled excess the 60s, and how it led to quite a bit of tension with his bandmates - especially The Who’s famously reckless drummer Keith Moon. Roger also reveals how he processed Moon’s tragic death in 1978, how it led to the band’s breakup in the early 80s, and a how it took a Silicon Valley con man to finally reunite the band.

Order Roger Daltrey's new book Thanks a Lot, Mr. Kibblewhite: My Story on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Follow The Who on twitter at @TheWho.  Today's episode was sponsored by National Security Agency Career Recruitment, Homecoming on Amazon Prime Video, Loop Jewelry, and Flatiron School.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Sir Michael Caine has starred in over 100 movies and won two Academy Awards, and today he shares stories and advice from his remarkable career.  He reveals why he never believed in taking advice from older movie stars, why he never wanted to be James Bond, and how the 1960’s made it cool to be a young cockney in the movies.  He recalls his humble working class beginnings in the projects of London known as the Elephant Castle, shares how he learned his famous discipline while serving in the Korean War, and advises young actors to "make reliability your brand."  He talks about coming out of his self-imposed retirement over 20 years ago and says he’s getting better parts now at age 85 than he did when he was a young leading man.  Plus Michael Caine on why John Wayne never wore suede shoes, John Huston on a director's most important job, having the best time of his life filming Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and doing Vegas with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.

Order Michael Caine's wonderful new book Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold, and follow him on twitter at @themichaelcaine.  Today's episode was sponsored by Espresso Monster and National Security Agency Career Recruitment.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Senator Ben Sasse does a deep dive into the societal shifts affecting modern American life and the roots of our political divisiveness.  He talk about the outsized role politics plays in our daily lives, how "polititainment" celebrities like Sean Hannity are fueling dangerous tribalism in America, and how to build a healthier tribe of family and friends instead of political outrage.  He shares recent data that indicates that Americans are feeling increasingly lonely, and explains how the digital economy and smart technology are leading us to pull up our roots and lose our sense of community.  He then reveals how his own family has embraced the idea of a "digital Sabbath" and shares a few of his favorite tips for unplugging and living in the moment.  Plus I ask Senator Ben Sasse if he’s still comfortable with a GOP that seems to be remaking itself in President Trump's image and what would it take for Senator Sasse to challenge Trump for the nomination in 2020.

Order Senator Ben Sasse's important new book Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold, and follow him on twitter at @SenSasse.  Today's episode was sponsored by Heineken and National Security Agency Career Recruitment.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Anthony Atamanuik, host of Comedy Central's The President Show returns to the podcast to talk about his new book American Tantrum: The Donald J. Trump Presidential Archives, why the President wants to open his Presidential Library while he's still in office, and what kind of secrets we might find in there.  He shares the reason why he stopped doing field pieces in public as Donald Trump, he delves into the strange psyche of the man, and theorizes that Trump might actually welcome news of his extramarital affairs.  He talks about his new Comedy Central special A President Show Documentary: The Fall Of Donald Trump and gives us a glimpse of what’s to come with the 45th President.  Then I get the "President" himself to weigh in on Justice Kavanaugh’s first few weeks on the Supreme Court, how Melania is handling the Stormy Daniels scandal, and who he thinks wrote that anonymous op-ed in the New York Times.

Order his book American Tantrum: The Donald J. Trump Presidential Archives on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  His special A President Show Documentary: The Fall Of Donald Trump is available on Comedy Central On Demand and follow him on twitter at @TonyAtamanuik.  Today's episode was sponsored by Heineken and National Security Agency Career Recruitment.   Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Julian Castro graduated high school a year early, won election to city council while he was still in law school, and became San Antonio's youngest mayor at age 27, before eventually serving as President Obama's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and making Hillary Clinton's short-list for VP in 2016.  He talks about his family's American dream including the remarkable story of how his Grandmother fled the violence of the Mexican Civil War for America and the values that his political activist mother instilled in he and his twin brother Joaquin.  He shares how he and Joaquin tied each other in their first election for Stanford University’s student senate and how a young Julian Castro ran for San Antonio city council and WON by winning over elderly voters.  He talks about his initiatives as Mayor to promote citizen engagement and pre-K education, why he first turned down a cabinet appointment in the Obama Administration, and what he calls the “weird experience” of being vetted to be Hillary Clinton’s running-mate in 2016.  Plus he talks seriously about running for the top spot in 2020 and lays out his playbook for beating Donald Trump.

Order An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold, and follow Julian Castro on twitter at @Julian Castro.  Today's episode was sponsored by Heineken, Espresso Monster, and National Security Agency Career Recruitment.   Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Legendary sports broadcaster Verne Lundquist recalls some of his favorite moments in sports and some of his favorite calls from Jack Nicklaus's final victory at the 1986 Masters and Tonya Harding's attack on Nancy Kerrigan at the 1994 Olympics to Christian Laettner's buzzer beater in the NCAA tournament and the Auburn-Alabama shocker of 2013. Verne shares why one radio station owner wanted him to change his name to "Jerry Lund," why he hated his short lived stint as a local news reporter in San Antonio, and how Tex Schram lured him to Dallas to become the voice of the Cowboys.  He recalls how Scott Hamilton gave him a crash course in skating during his first Winter Olympics, why he took it as a demotion when CBS first moved him from covering the NFL to the South Eastern Conference, and he gets a little sentimental when he talks about the huge sendoff that he got during his final season announcing SEC football.

Order Play by Play: Calling the Wildest Games in Sports-From SEC Football to College Basketball, The Masters, and More on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold. Today's episode was sponsored by Tahereh Mafi's A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Heineken, National Security Agency Recruitment, and BambooHR.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin revisits four of her favorite U.S. Presidents for her new book Leadership: In Turbulent Times.  Today she discusses the ideological family tree shared by Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson, how their character was shaped by their setbacks, and how their destinies were forged in times of crisis.  She shares how Abraham Lincoln gave purpose to the Civil War, how Teddy Roosevelt averted a coal strike that would have left millions of Americans in the cold, how Franklin Roosevelt got America through our greatest economic crisis by talking to every American as a trusted friend, and how Lyndon Johnson managed to accomplish what JFK could not on civil rights.  She recounts a meeting between a wily President Franklin Roosevelt and a young Congressman Lyndon Johnson, the time Theodore Roosevelt showed up to cheer on his own protesters, and how President LBJ gradually won over a very young and very skeptical Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Order Leadership: In Turbulent Times on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Dorris Kearns Goodwin at www.doriskearnsgoodwin.com or on twitter at @DorisKGoodwin.  Today's episode was sponsored by Espresso Monster, Heineken, Bombas, and BambooHR.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

As the founder of The Onion, Scott Dikkers practically invented "fake news."  He discusses the origins of the satirical news site as a print newspaper on college campuses, how he drew inspiration from National Lampoon and Spy Magazine, and the article about Bill Clinton and the War in Bosnia that prompted The Onion to finally go online.  He recalls creating cable news parodies with a young Stephen Colbert on the Dana Carvey Show, how the Onion fooled Mahmud Ahmadenijad, and the article that led Donald Trump to threaten to sue.  Then Scott shares why he’s turning his sharp wit on billionaire Elon Musk in his new book Welcome to the Future Which Is Mine.

Order Welcome to the Future Which Is Mine on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Read the latest sidesplitting headlines on the Onion at www.theonion.com, and keep up with Scott at www.ScottDikkers.com or on Twitter at @ScottDikkers.  Today's episode was sponsored by Heineken.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Mitch Albom is the author the all time best-selling memoir Tuesday's with Morrie and six #1 Bestsellers that have sold over a million copies worldwide.  He talks about his new novel The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, how losing his adopted daughter to cancer inspired his latest book, and what the book has to say about mistakes and forgiveness.  He reveals how difficult it was to get Tuesdays with Morrie published, some of the lessons from Morrie Schwartz that have come to mean more to him 20 years later, and what Morrie who preached “don’t buy into the culture" would think about our social media obsessed society.  Plus Mitch discusses how came to care for an entire orphanage in Haiti, the band he formed with Stephen King and other famous writers, and the five people he would like to meet in heaven.

Order The Next Person You Meet in Heaven available 10/9 on Amazon, Audible or wherever books are sold.  For more on Mitch, visit www.mitchalbom.com and follow him on twitter at @MitchAlbom.  Today's episode was sponsored by Heineken and BambooHR.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

Jeff Bridges discusses his 6 decades in Hollywood and what he learned about acting from dad Lloyd Bridges.  He recalls the "Little Rascals" version of Tucker that he and Francis Ford Coppola made prior to filming, laughing it up with Robin Williams and Terry Gilliam on the set of The Fisher King, and how he and his brother Beau tested each other during The Fabulous Baker Boys.  He shares stories about making The Last Picture Show, King Kong, Heaven's Gate, The Contender, and True Grit.  He talks about The Big Lebowski fandom, how he feels about being identified with his iconic character "the Dude," and why he says the Dude is a zenmaster.  Then Jeff Bridges gets zen about the environment with his new documentary Living in the Future's Past.  He discusses how we can take a more global approach to climate change, explains the evolutionary roots of our energy consumption, and says humans collectively form a super-organism that is exhausting resources at a faster and faster pace.  He calls for the removal of politics from the climate debate and suggests how everyone can make individuals changes that can have a big impact.

Living in the Future's Past opens in theaters Friday, October 5.  Visit www.livinginthefuturespastfilm.com for information and showtimes.  Be sure to catch his other film Bad Times at the El Royale opening in theaters Friday, October 12.  Keep up with Jeff at www.jeffbridges.com.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Heineken and Espresso Monster.  Visit Kickass News at www.kickassnews.com, subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on twitter at @KickassNewsPod.

John Chambers is widely considered one of the world’s greatest business leaders, and today he discusses how he turned Cisco into a global tech giant with $47 billion in revenues and 70,000 employees.  He talks about his early years working at IBM and Wang Laboratories and how those experiences led to his lifelong mantra “disrupt or be disrupted.”  He opens up about his struggle with dyslexia, how it helped him see 4 and 5 chess moves ahead as a CEO, and why he encourages other business leaders to “think like a dyslexic.”  He explains how Cisco acquired and absorbed 180 companies, how Cisco vanquished nearly 100 rivals, and the pitfalls of “doing the right thing for too long.”  He reveals how Cisco survived the 2001 dot com crash, the advice that GE’s Jack Welch gave him in the company’s darkest hour, and how that close-call better prepared him when the financial crisis hit a few years later.  John suggests the US could learn something about innovation from France, he shares how he’s planning to replace coal jobs with tech jobs in his homestate of West Virginia, and why he is making a big bet that crickets are the food of the future. 

Order John Chambers's book Connecting the Dots: Lessons for Leadership in a Startup World on Amazon.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken and Ziprecruiter.

CBS News' chief White House correspondent Major Garrett has covered the last 4 administrations but says nothing could prepare him for President Donald Trump.  He recalls his strange first encounter with the reality TV star who would become President and the craziest 11 days he’s ever experienced as a White House correspondent.  He discusses the many ways in which the President is his own worst enemy, how the President’s failure at healtchare reform lead to his success on tax reform, and yet he learned nothing from it.  He shares some of the reasons why many Republicans have said no thanks to a job in the Trump Administration, why the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation is a must win for Trump, and why he believes we are already witnessing a transformative Presidency.

Order Major Garrett's new book MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE:
THE THRILLS, CHILLS, SCREAMS, AND OCCASIONAL BLACKOUTS OF AN EXTRAORDINARY PRESIDENCY
on Amazon.  See Major regularly reporting from the White House on CBS News, subscribe to his podcast The Takeout on Apple Podcast or wherever you like to listen, and follow him on twitter at @MajorCBS.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns discusses his new film The Mayo Clinic: Faith Hope Science and tells incredible story of a country physician and a Franciscan nun who built the medical institution known as “The Miracle in Minnesota.”  He talks about the natural disaster that led to the formation of the Mayo Clinic, their astounding success rate at a time when going to a hospital was considered a death sentence, and how Dr. W.W. Mayo and his staff innovated everything from sterilization and surgery right down to patient medical records.  Then he reveals how the Mayo Clinic continues to take the profit motive out of medicine and put the focus back on the patient today, how an institution with more than 62,000 employees still manages to provide personalized care rather than treat people like a number, and why the doctors of the Mayo Clinic believe that faith and hope are every bit as essential to healing as science.  Plus Ken Burns shares just a few of the touching testimonials from people whose lives were changed by the Mayo Clinic including one of the final interviews with the late Senator John McCain.

The Mayo Clinic: Faith Hope Science airs on PBS on Tuesday 9/25 at 9PM ET and airs again on Wednesday 9/26.  For more information, visit www.pbs.org.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken, Emma Email Marketing, Bombas, and the Around the NFL podcast.

Sir Richard Branson talks about The Virgin Group philosophy, why he likes to act fast when launching a new business, and how many of his best ideas came from his own desires and frustrations as a consumer.  He gives advice to young entrepreneurs and shares what he’s learned from his mistakes.  He reveals his reasons for selling Virgin America to Alaska Air, and he outlines his vision of the future with Virgin Galactic and his latest venture Virgin Hyperloop One.  Plus he talks about his strange lunch with Donald Trump, his most harrowing adventures, and his habit of chopping off people’s neckties.

Order Sir Richard Branson's new book FINDING MY VIRGINITY on Amazon or download the audio book at Audible.  Keep up with Richard Branson at www.virgin.com or on Twitter at @richardbranson.  Today’s episode is sponsored by Heineken and I Love You, But I Hate Your Politics podcast.   

Fox News' politics editor Chris Stirewalt discusses the history of American populism, how economic resentment fuels populism even in times of huge prosperity, and why the will of the people doesn’t always make for great policy.  He discusses why populist leaders are so prone to hucksterism and easy answers including one politician who literally started out as snake oil salesman, and why it’s a good thing that most populist leaders never actually get to govern.  He talks about how the least likely populist President Teddy Roosevelt's progressive Bull Moose Party impacted the GOP for over a century and how George Wallace shifted the focus from economic populism to cultural populism.  He explains why Pat Buchanan is the grandfather of Trumpism and how Ross Perot invented the trope of the businessman who can fix Washington.  Plus we talk about the time America flirted with electing a self-professed socialist and radical, why the election of 1864 still gives Chris hope, and why modern aspiring populists would do well to study Andrew Jackson's appeal to immigrants.

Order Chris Stirewalt's book Every Man a King: A Short, Colorful History of American Populist on Amazon, subscribe to his podcast Perino and Stirewalt: I’ll Tell You What wherever you like to listen, and follow him on twitter at @Chris Stirewalt.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken, Emma Email Marketing, NFL Podcasts, and Espresso Monster.

Comedian Sam Morrill talks about getting his start as an intern on the Colbert Report and breaking into the New York comedy scene.  He reveals why dating and standup don't always mix and why his therapist misses him when he's on the road.  He talks about some of the jokes that have gotten him in trouble with social justice warriors on the internet and how he handles the moral outrage machine on social media. Plus borscht belt comedy, the worst gigs ever, #MeToo, and more. 

Don't miss Sam's new standup special Sam Morrill: Positive Influence on Friday 9/14 at 11PM ET/PT on Comedy Central. Visit Sam online at www.sammorrill.com and follow him on twitter at @SamMorrill.  Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken and the Move the Sticks Podcast.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson returns to discuss the mutually beneficial relationship between war-makers and star-gazers. He says the military often serves as a source of creative inspiration for astrophysicists and shares some of the unexpected breakthroughs that emerged from government funded defense projects. Then Neil weighs in on President Trump’s proposed Space Force. He cautions that just because Donald Trump suggested it doesn’t necessarily mean it is bad idea, and in fact, he suggested just such an idea during the George W. Bush Administration. He recommends that a Space Force shouldn’t just protect America and our Space assets from enemies but from asteroids and space junk as well. Neil describes what a full-blown space war might look like, and it’s probably not what you’re imagining. Plus we talk about a crazy scheme to weaponize asteroids, the power of the words “I don’t know,” and Neil suggests that America needs a “Truth Force” in addition to a Space Force.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military is available Tuesday (9/11/18) on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold. For more fun stuff visit www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson, subscribe to his podcast StarTalk Radio wherever you like to listen, and follow Neil Degrasse Tyson on twitter at @NeilTyson. Today’s episode was sponsored by Heineken, Emma Email Marketing, Bombas, and NFL Podcasts.

Mark Leibovich, Chief National Correspondent for the New York Times Magazine, follows up his #1 bestseller THIS TOWN with a probing examination of pro-football at a moment of peak success and high anxiety BIG GAME: THE NFL IN DANGEROUS TIMES.  This native Bostonian apologizes for those famously annoying Patriots fans, and discusses the Patriots superfan in the White House and Trump’s weird obsession with Tom Brady.  He offers an unprecedented glimpse inside the one club that Donald Trump could never join…the exclusive group of 32 billionaire NFL owners known as “The Membership.”   He reveals how Patriots owner Robert Kraft whines about not getting credit for the team’s success and some comments about Kraft’s love of New York that that have riled fans in Beantown.  We talk about the rivalry between Kraft and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Mark recalls losing a drinking contest with Jones on the famously raucous Cowboys bus.  He discusses fans hatred of Roger Goodell’s astronomical salary and why the “Membership” still protects the much maligned NFL Commissioner.  He reveals just how worried owners were about the national anthem controversy and how it shined a light on the startling racial disparities in pro-football.  Plus we talk about deflategate, Superbowl excess, concussions, and ask “has America has reached peak football?”

Order Mark Leibovich's book BIG GAME: THE NFL IN DANGEROUS TIMES on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Keep up with Mark at www.markleibovich.com or on twitter at @MarkLeibovich.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Heineken, GooglePlay Audiobooks, The Dave Dameshek Football Program, and Espresso Monster.

Ambassador Wendy Sherman was the lead negotiator on the Iran Nuclear Agreement, and she writes about it in her new book titled
Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence.  Today she recalls working with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to halt North Korea’s nuclear ambitions in the 90’s, and how they came close to an agreement only to see their efforts derailed by the chaos of the 2000 election.  She explains why negotiating with North Korea is always "one part diplomacy and one part absurdity," she recalls her personal interactions with Kim Jung Il, and weighs in on how his successor Kim Jung Un measures up.  Ambassador Sherman talks about the many months of diplomacy (both covert and overt) that went into the nuclear agreement with Iran, how much was lost when President Trump decertified the deal,
and what her colleagues from across the negotiating table are saying about it.  She explains why the negotiation was a lot like solving a Rubik’s Cube, just how heated things got in the behind closed doors, and why sometimes tactics are no substitute for pure raw human emotion.

Order Ambassador Wendy Sherman's book Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence is available on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow Ambassador Sherman on Twitter at @WendyRSherman.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Heineken, NFL Podcasts, and ZipRecruiter.

Republican strategist Rick Wilson was one of the very first conservatives to oppose Donald Trump and a co-founder of the Never Trump movement.  Today he enumerate the many reasons why Trump is so abhorrent to him, how his opposition to Trump has caused him to feel like a pariah in his own party, and how he gets far more death threats from crazed Trump-supporters than he ever got from Democrats.  He calls out the “vichy Republicans” in Washington who sold out out to Trump, and singles out former GOP Chairman Reince Priebus for special condemnation as the one person who could have stopped Trump from running away with his party’s nomination.  He talks about the island of misfit toys that make up the President’s inner circle, how any person with experience and integrity the inevitably leaves the Trump White House with his reputation in tatters, and we try to make sense of what has happened to Rick’s former boss Rudy Giuliani.  Rick picks apart what he calls the “But Gorsuch” argument, looks at the potential field of Republican challengers in 2020, and he speaks frankly about inevitable fallout of the Trump Presidency and the long road ahead as the GOP struggles to rebuild its brand.

Order Rick Wilson’s book Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever on Amazon or Audible.  Follow Rick on Twitter at @TheRickWilson.  Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay Audiobooks, Emma Email Marketing, and RelentlessMV.

As the president of the American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks has long worked to foster more civilized and productive discourse, and now he is exploring the art of disagreement on his new podcast The Arthur Brooks Show.  Arthur says the answer is not to stop talking with people on the opposite side of the political spectrum but to talk to each other better.  Arthur describes how social media lowers our inhibitions and makes us meaner, he discusses America’s addiction to moral outrage as a form of virtue signaling, and says contemptuous political debates can actually impact our health or even lower our immune system.  He talks about the science of persuasion and how we change our minds, why people take politics so personally, and recommends that everyone take a 2 week vacation from politics every now and then. 

Subscribe to The Arthur Brooks Show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you like to listen.  Visit the American Enterprise Institute at www.aei.org and follow Arthur on twitter at @ArthurBrooks.  Today's podcast is sponsored by and Ladder Life Insurance.

Rob Riggle (The Hangover, Step Brothers) shares how a running joke spawned his latest project and what it’s like to play a "heightened version of himself" in Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy.  Rob recalls his 23 years in the Marines, what it was like handling public affairs in a country where people wanted to chop your head off, how he managed to juggle his military service with his comedy career, and his fateful decision to pass up pilot school to try his hand at standup.  He talks about studying improv at the New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade, his strange interview with Lorne Michaels when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, and why he thought he blew it during his big auditioned for The Daily Show.  

Watch Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy for free on Sony Crackle beginning August 23.  Follow Rob Riggle on twitter at @Rob Riggle, and subscribe to his podcast Riggle’s Picks on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Emma Email Marketing, RelentlessMV, and Ladder Life Insurance.

National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner has studied the the world's "blue zones" the 5 areas where people live the longest, and today he shares their secrets. He shares how calorie restriction can lengthen your life, what kind of exercises are best for longevity and mobility, and why loners rarely live to be 100.  He talks about an island in Italy where the men outlive the women, why people with daughters live longer than those with sons, and how modern conveniences are driving the world’s blue zones to extinction.  Then he discusses the science of happiness including why people actually get happier with age, how money really can buy happiness (but only to a point),
and why genetics play a bigger role than you might think.  Plus he reveals the one factor that matters most to your happiness and longevity even more than exercise and healthy eating.

Order Dan Buettner's books The Blue Zones, The Blue Zones Solution, Thrive, and The Blue Zones of Happiness on Amazon or Audible.  Visit Dan's website at www.bluezones.com and follow Dan on Twitter at @BlueZones.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Hidden Truth Podcast and Ladder Life Insurance.

Greg Gutfeld discusses his new book The Gutfeld Monologues: Classic Rants from The Five and how it gave him a unique opportunity troll his own work.  He talks about his political evolution starting out at liberal enclave UC Berkeley, his problem with "mob thinking," and how extremism on both the left and the right led him to Libertarianism.  He recalls his early days working at the Huffington Post with his best buddy Andrew Breitbart and how a prank involving costumed dwarves got him fired as editor of Stuff Magazine.  Then he shares how his quirky little late night show Red Eye became a hit on the unlikeliest of networks by giving Fox News viewers a much needed break from 24 hour politics and stoners an alternative to infomercials.  He reveals how he’s broadening the Fox News demographic one unicorn at a time, how thrash metal helps him bridge the political divide,
and how he mostly manages to behave on The Five.  Plus Gutfeld talks about the scourge of British lad culture, cute pet videos, and Fox News’s next big hit...a talk show hosted by a dolphin.

Order The Gutfeld Monologues: Classic Rants from The Five on Amazon or Audible.  Watch Greg on Fox News weekdays on The Five and Saturdays on The Greg Gutfeld Show.  Subscribe Greg's podcast The One with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News Radio, Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Stitcher or wherever you like to listen.  Visit Greg’s website at www.ggutfeld.com and follow him on twitter at @GregGutfeld.  Special thanks to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum for hosting our interview.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Emma and RelentlessMV.

Topher Grace discusses playing David Duke in Spike Lee's latest film Blackkklansman about Ron Stallworth, the black cop who infiltrated the KKK.  Topher talks about the agony of reading David Duke’s autobiography for the role, why Duke still denies that he was ever fooled by a black man, and how Duke was using phrases like “America First” and “Make America Great Again” long before Trump.  Topher shares how director Spike Lee helped him play the king of all racists, what it was like to screen the film to a 10 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and how he hopes releasing the movie on the one year anniversary of the violent protests in Charlottesville may help to spur a dialogue about race and hate in America.  Plus Topher gets a Twitter shout out from the not so "grand wizard" himself.

Spike Lee’s Blackkklansman is now showing in theaters.  Check your local listings for show times or visit www.focusfeatures.com/blackkklansman.  Follow Topher on twitter at @TopherGrace.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Purple Mattress and the Move the Sticks Podcast.

Jenna Elfman talks about joining the cast of AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, shares her strategy for surviving a zombie apocalypse, and reveals how working on the show got her thinking about her own family's emergency preparedness.  She discusses her first experience with a "walker" on set, how doing her own stunts has made her a bit of a badass in the eyes of her two young sons, and what it was like to interact with The Walking Dead’s diehard fans at Comicon.  Plus Jenna talks about how she and her husband learned that the couple that podcasts together stays together and whether it's time to bring back her other hit TV series Dharma and Greg for the Trump-era.

Season 4 of Fear the Walking Dead returns this Sunday, August, 12 at 9/8C on AMC.  Visit www.amc.com for more information.  Check out Jenna and her husband's podcast Kicking and Screaming on iTunes or Stitcher, and follow Jenna on twitter at @JennaElfman.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Monster Espresso and GooglePlay.

Journalist Michael Scott Moore went to Somalia to write an article about Somali pirates only be kidnapped and held hostage for 977 days as his mother tried to come up with his ransom.  He discusses his captivity, his one daring escape attempt, and how he didn’t even believe it when he was finally released.  He discusses how pirates use the media to drive up their ransom demands, their shocking naiveté about America, and how the man known as the Somali pirate kingpin didn't even know about US policy against paying for hostages.  He shares how one of his guards rationalized being a muslim and a pirate, why the supposed ideological motives for Somali piracy are b.s., and the strange fate that befell his pirate captors after he left.

Order Michael Scott Moore's book The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast on Amazon or Audible.  Visit his website at www.radiofreemike.net and follow him on twitter at @MichaelSctMoore.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Monster Espresso and GooglePlay.

Newlywed comedian and "elder millennial" Iliza Shlesinger returns to talk about her new comedy special and give me a little advice for my own upcoming nuptials.  She defends a bride’s right to be a "princess" on her special day, explains why it’s never as simple as just "saying yes to the dress," and makes the case for doing away with the traditional bouquet toss.  Iliza also reveals how her walk down the aisle wasn’t exactly what she planned (and neither was the groom’s reaction!) and why she suddenly had to cut her European honeymoon short.  She talks about how this milestone has influenced her act, how she got to shoot her latest comedy special on an aircraft carrier, and weighs in on everything from online dating and who makes the first move to shamanic journeys and the most terrifying sound of all...peacocks!

Watch Iliza Shlesinger's new comedy special ILIZA SHLESINGER: ELDER MILLENNIAL on Netflix.  Follow her on Twitter at @Iliza and visit www.iliza.com for more fun stuff.  Some of her upcoming tour dates include Honolulu, HI (8/4), Calgary, CA (8/12), Edmonton, CA (8/18), and Portland, OR (8/24 & 8/25).  Today's podcast is sponsored by Purple Mattress and GooglePlay.

Comedian Bo Burnham discusses making his directorial debut with his critically acclaimed film EIGHTH GRADE which explores the humor and horrors of modern adolescence.  He talks about why he went to great lengths to avoid nostalgia in his portrayal of life in middle school and how casting a real 13 year old girl kept him honest.  He shares how he drew inspiration from watching hours of web videos by middle schoolers, how much the internet has changed since he made his own Youtube debut in 2006, and why he doesn’t judge millennials for their addiction to social media.  He reveals why he only allowed his lead actress to read the script once before shooting and how the comedian known for very BIG humor learned to appreciate the small moments.  Plus a few words of wisdom for kids going through those awkward years!

EIGHTH GRADE is now playing in theatres nationwide. For more information and showtimes, visit www.eighthgrade.movie.  Also check out www.boburnham.com and follow him on twitter at @BoBurnham.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Dollar Shave Club and GooglePlay.

Famed attorney and lifelong Democrat Alan Dershowitz says even though he make not like Donald Trump's policies, the President is entitled to the same rights as any other American and impeachment is a clearly defined Constitutional procedure not political theatre.  He explains exactly what is and is NOT an impeachable offense, why even a criminal act may not necessarily lead to impeachment, and how this applies to Presidents from Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.  According to Dershowitz, President Trump has every right to fire the FBI director, shut down investigations, and pardon anyone he wants...perhaps even including himself.  He warns against a dangerous trend of criminalizing politics on both sides, argues that the Mueller investigation runs the risk of abusing attorney client privilege, and asks where has the ACLU been throughout it all?  Plus he rates Rudy Giuliani’s performance as Trump’s attorney, weighs in on the President’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and advises that Trump should absolutely NOT agree to an interview

with the Mueller investigation.

Order Alan Dershowitz's book THE CASE AGAINST IMPEACHING TRUMP on Amazon or Audible and follow him on twitter at @AlanDershowitz.  Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan opens up about his wife/writing partner Jeannie’s brain tumor scare and how she was the first person to suggest using it in his new comedy special JIM GAFFIGAN: NOBLE APE.  Jim reveals how trial and error led him back to his own authentic voice as a comedian, how he gets inside the head of the audience and plays his own worst critic on stage, and why he’s making fewer and fewer food jokes.  He discusses why he’s breaking free of the Netflix model for his latest comedy special and why he’s taken a number of dramatic film roles in no less than 13 films over the next year.  Plus Jim Gaffigan riffs on the mixed blessing of hot pockets, the worst part about getting a colonoscopy, and the hardest comedy gig in the world...opening for the Pope.

Comedy Dynamics presents Jim Gaffigan's newest comedy special JIM GAFFIGAN: NOBLE APE in theaters, OnDemand, iTunes, Amazon, and all of your favorite digital platforms.  There's eve an album available.  Follow Jim on Twitter at @jimgaffigan and visit Jim's website for tour dates and other fun stuff at www.jimgaffigan.com.  

Jim's upcoming live shows include Kettering, OH (7/27), Clarkson, MI (7/28), Atlantic City (8/4), Bethlehem, PA (8/5) Santa Rosa, CA (8/9), Fresno, CA (8/12), Casper, WY (8/13) the Iowa State Fair (8/14), ACharleston, SC (8.17).

Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay, Dollar Shave Club, Purple Mattress, and Morning Brew.

In the wake of the bizarre Trump-Putin Summit, intelligence expert Malcolm Nance says Trump has gone from being an unwitting asset of Russia to a willing asset deliberately undermining NATO, the European Union, and even his own country.  Nance says Donald Trump has betrayed his oath to uphold the Constitution and is the closest thing America's seen to another Benedict Arnold.  He reveals Russia’s broader efforts to undermine US and the influential Americans enabling Russian interference including the most powerful gun-rights organization in the country, the politician known Putin’s man in Congress, and the alt-right media baron he calls “the American Goebbles.”  What’s Vladimir Putin’s end-game?  Malcolm Nance says Putin's ultimate goal is to dismantle western democracy itself!

Order Malcolm Nance's new book The Plot to Destroy Democracy:
How Putin and His Spies Are Undermining America and Dismantling the West on Amazon or Audible.  Follow him on Twitter at @Malcolm Nance.  Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay.

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes talks about how he survived a full 8 years in the White House, his close friendship with President Barack Obama, and what it was like to travel the world representing America.  Ben says the Arab Spring taught him that sometimes hope and change have to take a back seat to pragmatism and the big picture.  He reveals how he secretly worked with the Pope to reopen relations with Cuba, how sleeplessness led to some frayed nerves during the Iran nuclear negotiations, and how wild conspiracy theories around Benghazi continue to follow him even today.  He throws some cold water on Trump’s accusation that President Obama ordered the FBI to investigate him, discusses how he and Obama emotionally processed Trump’s 2016 victory, and talks about the somber mood on President Obama's final foreign trip as he tried to console/encourage other world leaders like Angela Merkel.  Plus the we talk about the Syrian red line, Hillary Clinton’s private server, sanctions against Russia, and Trump’s North Korean photo-op.

Order Ben's book The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House on Amazon or Audible and follow him on twitter at @BRhodes.  Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay and Morning Brew.

Rob Reiner returns to talk about the long road to making his latest film Shock and Awe about the journalists who "got it right" about WMD in Iraq and why he says Americans still may not be ready to deal with the mistakes of the Iraq War.  How discusses the lesser known news syndicate that uncovered the truth about WMD and why the mainstream media at the time ignored all the warning signs.  He talks about his love for classic newsroom films like All the President's Men and his urgency to make a film about great journalism at a time when the free press and the truth are under greater assault than ever.  Rob Reiner gives an update on his group the Committee to Investigate Russia, he cautions that the rhetoric on the Left treads a thin line between energizing their base and energizing the other side, and we ponder how Archie Bunker went from a punchline to a political movement.

Rob Reiner's movie Shock and Awe opens in theaters Friday, July 13.  Follow Rob Reiner on Twitter at @RobReiner and learn more about The Committee to Investigate Russia at www.investigaterussia.org.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Adiamor Jewelry, GooglePlay and Morning Brew.

Bestselling humorist David Sedaris talks about why he doesn’t do social media, how a fitbit has come to rule his life, and his irritation with the British habit of bullying Americans into drinking.  David shares how watching his father grow old has him thinking about his own mortality and how he keeps politics from coming between him and his Trump-supporting dad.  David Sedaris says his heavy travel schedule has liberated him from the watching the news and he couldn't be happier about it.  Plus he shares a few of his favorite travel tips and regional insults from around the globe.

Order David Sedaris's book Calypso on Amazon or Audible.  For more, visit www.davidsedarisbooks.com.  Today's podcast is sponsored by GooglePlay and Morning Brew.

Astrophysicist Adam Frank offers an explanation for why we have yet to made contact with extraterrestrials and says it is highly likely that many of ten billion trillion planets in the universe have hosted technologically advanced alien civilizations.  He discusses three possible fates that may have befallen those civilizations and how studying other planets could help us save our own.  He says that climate science actually holds consistent truths across all planets that have atmospheres and if we can predict climate change on Mars, we are certainly able to predict climate change here on earth. Plus Adam talks about the significance of the recent discovery of methane gas on Mars, his experience as a science consultant on Marvel’s Dr Strange,
and why he doesn’t like the term "alien."

Order Adam Frank's book Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth on Amazon or Audible.  Keep up with Adam at www.adamfrankscience.com or on Twitter at @AdamFrank4.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Outside the Box podcast.

The Simpsons's longest-serving writer/producer Mike Reiss celebrates the 30th anniversary of the longest running show in TV history and shares stories, scandals, and gossip about working with America’s most iconic cartoon family.  He talks about his early days writing for the Harvard Lampoon and why Lampoon alums make up half the writers rooms in Hollywood.  He recalls working on The Tonight Show, how his only meeting with Johnny Carson was just like being a guest on his show, and a Carnac joke taught him that there’s just no science to comedy.  He discusses coming on board the first episode of The Simpsons, why Fox had little faith in the first primetime cartoon since The Flintstones, and why The Simpsons became a cultural phenomenon right out of the gate.  He reveals that Simpsons characters are just bad impersonations of old movie stars, how the writers add special guest roles into the script just to meet their childhood heroes, and Mike shares a few of favorite celebrity guests and some of the ones that got away.  He talks about the fans' love/hate relationship with the show, some of the crazier conspiracy theories swirling around The Simpsons, and the show's complicated relationship with Seth McFarlane's Family Guy.  Plus Mike Reiss tells me which countries have actually banned and even sued The Simpsons and how his own popular children's book got boycotted by the Texas Board of Education.

Order Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons on Amazon or Audible. Watch The Simpsons every Sunday night on Fox and follow Mike Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReissWriter.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Michelin Premiere Tires and Dollar Shave Club.

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper recalls how tinkering with a TV set as a boy led to a career in signals intelligence, his frustration when working as an intelligence briefer to General William Westmoreland during the Vietnam War, and what it was like to be in the room when President Obama ordered the raid on Osama Bin Laden.  He discusses Russia's interference in the 2016 election, the now infamous intelligence meeting with President-elect Trump at Trump Tower, and why he believes that Russia’s efforts successfully tipped the election for Donald Trump. Plus he weighs in on the North Korean Summit, his war or words with President Trump, and much more.

Order James Clapper's book Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence on Amazon or Audible. Today's podcast is sponsored by The Jim Jefferies Show podcast and Dollar Shave Club.

New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff talks about the surprisingly patrician upbringing of Robin Williams, his time studying to be a serious actor at Julliard, and Robin's early influences as a comedian.  Dave reveals how Star Wars helped Williams land the role of Mork the Ork, and why his shenangigans on Mork and Mindy might have landed him in hot water in the age of #MeToo.  He discusses Robin’s gradual evolution as a movie star, and why Hollywood didn’t really know what to do with him at first.  Dave shares how John Belushi’s overdose scared Robin Williams straight, what eventually caused him to fall back into addiction some 20 years later, and how a rare disease led to his tragic suicide.  Plus Dave Itzkoff recalls his own favorite personal encounters with the comedian, and why Robin always wanted to give total strangers what he called “an authentic Robin Williams experience.”

Order Dave Itzkoff's book Robin on Amazon or Audible.  Read more by Dave Itzkoff in the New York Times and follow Dave on Twitter at @ditzkoff. Today's podcast is sponsored by The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah: Ears Edition, LegalShield, and Dollar Shave Club.

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Eugene Jarecki drove across the U.S. in Elvis Presley's 1963 Rolls Royce to talk to people about Elvis as a metaphor for the American dream in his new documentary The King.  He traces Elvis’s journey from his birth in a Mississippi town that's barely kept alive by Elvis tourism to the musical melting pot of Memphis, and ultimately to Las Vegas and the "sweaty sequined jumpsuit Elvis" who became more of a corporate brand than a man.  He reveals how he acuired Elvis’s Rolls Royce, and how it became a beacon for people on both sides of the political divide to have a conversation about the promise of America, the sins of the past, and where our country is headed today.  Plus Eugene Jarecki talks about the perils of driving and directing and roadtripping in a 55 year old car.

The King opens in theaters in NYC on 6/22 and in LA on 6/29. For information and showtimes, visit www.theking.film.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Outside the Box podcast, LegalShield, Michelin Premiere Tires, and LightStream.

Ambassador Michael McFaul helped President Obama craft the US-Russia “reset," and he later had a front-row seat for the end of the reset with the return of the hostile, paranoid Russian President Vladimir Putin.  He recalls witnessing history unfold during the attempted Russian military coup in 1989 and early encounter with a young unimpressive Vladimir Putin in the 90s.  He gives an insiders account of being with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she presented the infamous "reset" button, the first meeting between Putin and the newly elected President Obama, and his own thoughts on what motivates the Russian President.  He talks about arriving to protestors in Moscow on his first day as Ambassador, the Russian FSB’s sinister surveillance and harassment campaigns against him and his family, and the extensive efforts to gain Kompromat on US officials as well as certain wealthy American businessmen.

Order From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia on Amazon or Audible. Follow Michael McFaul twitter at @mcfaul or at www.michaelmcfaul.com.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Michelin Premiere Tires, Just for Men Control GX, and Travel Guard Travel Insurance.

Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Duplass talk about Season 2 of Goliath.  Billy reveals why he’s so attracted to outsider roles,
what he found particularly appealing about playing an attorney,
and how the show’s creators David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro (both former attorneys) helped him prepare for the courtroom.  He talks about some of his own favorite movie lawyers, the death of independent film, and how television has come a long way
since his early days on the 90’s sitcom Evening Shade.  Mark Duplass talks about his excitement to play a bad guy on Goliath, what it's like to be one half of the acclaimed filmmaking duo the Duplass Brothers, why it took a while for them to learn to “individuate,” and what it's like to work as an actor on another director's set.  

Season 2 of Goliath is available on Amazon beginning Friday, June 15. For more information, visit http://a.co/i02m9ob and follow Mark Duplass on twitter at @MarkDuplass.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Legal Shield.

I love sharing new podcasts, and in this special bonus episode, I want to introduce you to my friend Seth Godin and a great new podcast called Akimbo.  The first episode is about the hype around grand openings, whether it’s a summer blockbuster or a new startup, and in the second episode of Akimbo, Seth Godin delves into status roles in society, how we measure up alongside others, and what we’re willing to do to achieve a higher status role.  Subscribe to Akimbo in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen, or go to www.akimbo.me.  You can also follow Seth Godin on twitter at @ThisIsSethsBlog or at www.sethgodin.com.

Bob Balaban has been a delightful part of many of the best movies and TV shows of the past 50 years including Moonrise Kingdom, A Mighty Wind, Gosford Park, Capote, and Seinfeld.  This Oscar and Emmy-nominated actor, director, and producer shares how a character actor can have a much longer career than a movie star, why he sometimes enjoys auditioning for a role more than actually getting it, and why he likes to study the famous directors with whom he works from Stephen Spielberg to Wes Anderson.  He recalls his family’s early roots in the golden age of Hollywood, his first break playing Linus in the original production of Your A Good Man Charlie Brown, and how he ended up playing Francois Truffaut’s translator (both on and off screen) in Close Encounters.  Bob Balaban discusses reuniting with his old friend William Hurt for the miniseries Condor, getting to play his first role as a "bad guy" in ages, and what this remake of Three Days of the Condor says about America’s growing paranoia the so-called “deep state.”  Plus we talk about Bob’s career as "six degrees of Warren Littlefield," why strangers still come up to him pitching ideas for television, and how to shoot a film about the richest woman in the world on a shoestring budget.

Condor airs Wednesdays at 10PM ET/PT on ATT Audience Network and Direct TV.  Visit http://start.att.net/exclusive/audience/condor to learn more. Follow Bob on Twitter at @BobBalaban.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Legal Shield, Grasshopper, and Travel Guard.

Todd Purdum, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a senior writer at Politico, discusses his own life-long love of the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and why their Broadway shows like South Pacific are so timeless.  He reveals how Oklahoma! revolutionized the Broadway musical and how their shows perfectly tapped into the mood of post-war America.  He talks about how Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein bravely addressed social injustices in their work, and how Hammerstein's politics landed him in hot water at the height of McCarthyism.  He discusses their troubled relationship with Hollywood and why the film version of The Sound of Music has been something of a mixed blessing for the R & H legacy.  Plus Todd Purdum talks about how the troubling themes of spousal abuse and suicide in Carousel play with modern audiences in a new Broadway revival, what Donald Trump could learn from The King and I, and the Dominican nun who served as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s behind-the-scenes collaborator.

Order Todd Purdum's fantastic book Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution on Amazon or Audible, and look for his regular political articles in Vanity Fair.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Outside the Box podcast, Michelin Premiere Tires, and Legal Shield.

Author Max Brooks is well known for his bestselling zombie books like World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide, and he applies the same creative thinking to military strategy as a fellow at the Modern War Institute and The Art of Future Warfare Project.  He reveals how he gets military leaders to think outside the box about complex problems, some of the threats for which he fears the US is least prepared, and why American ingenuity and self-reliance will be crucial to surviving modern disasters like an attack on the power grid.  He discusses how his mother the late Anne Bancroft helped him cope with dyslexia, how Alan Alda taught him to write, and why his dad Mel Brooks is still a bundle of energy (and laughs) at age 91.  Max weighs in on everything from President Trump's North Korea policy to the Russian cyber-attacks, plus he shares what the military can learn from the Star Wars movies, how to survive a zombie apocalypse, and why an Ewok insurgency is not so cute.

Order Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict (co-edited by Max Brooks) on Amazon.  Learn more about Max at www.maxbrooks.com and follow him on twitter at @maxbrooksauthor.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by US Markerboard, Michelin Premiere Tires, Simple Contacts, Grasshopper, and Legal Shield.

CNN'S Jake Tapper discusses his foray into writing fiction with his new political thriller The Hellfire Club, his interest in the politics of the 1950s, and the real-life Washington powerbrokers who make up the supporting cast of his story.  He shares how his years of observing how eager young Congressmen slowly sell their souls inspired the central character of The Hellfire Club, and he illuminates some disturbing parallels between Donald Trump and Joseph McCarthy,
the infamous red-baiting Senator who plays a key role in his novel.  He reveals the real secret society on which his story is based, and warns of the danger when the line between truth and conspiracy theories becomes blurred.  Plus Jake Tapper talks about his brief time in film school, Trump’s weirdly aggressive handshake, and why the U.S. Senate once investigated comic books.

Order Jake Tapper's his book The Hellfire Club on Amazon or Audible.  Watch him weeknights on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper and Sunday mornings on CNN’s State of the Union.  Follow Jake on twitter at @jaketapper.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by Outside the Box podcast, Legal Shield, and Adiamor Jewelry.

Journalist/documentary filmmaker Sebastian Junger (Restrepo, The Perfect Storm) talks about the new PBS Memorial Day special Going to War and his experience as an embedded reporter covering the War in Afghanistan. He recalls his first close call with an I.E.D. in the Korengal Valley, the fear and exhilaration of first arriving in the combat zone, and how war taps into something primal in all of us. He discusses his own struggle with PTSD, how sharing war stories helps our soldiers reintegrate to civilian life, and why so many men and women in uniform feel uncomfortable when someone says “thank you for your service.”

Going to War airs Memorial Day, May 28, at 9PM ET/PT on PBS. Visit https://www.pbs.org/show/going-to-war/ to learn more. Keep up with Sebastian Junger at www.sebastianjunger.com and follow him on twitter at @sebastianjunger.  Today’s podcast was sponsored by The Brave podcast, Dollar Shave Club, PolicyGenius, and Lightstream.

The Today Show's Al Roker talks about his book Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America’s Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster.  He discusses the elite country club that compromised the structural integrity of the South Fork Dam causing the flood, he reveals some of the famous industrialists who belonged to that club, and how they escaped justice for the Johnstown flood in a notorious trial that ultimately led to important changes in US liability laws.  Plus Al Roker relates the lessons of the 1889 flood to global climate change and America’s modern day infrastructure needs, and on a lighter note, the self-described BBQ aficionado offers a few summer bbq tips for the grillmaster in your family.

Order Al Roker's book Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America’s Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster on Amazon or Audible.  See Al weekday mornings on NBC's The Today Show, visit him at www.alroker.com, and follow him on twitter at @alroker.  Today's episode was sponsored by Citizen Watches, Outside the Box podcast, Grasshopper, and Adiamor Jewelry.

Ethan Hawke joins me on the podcast for wide ranging conversation
covering art, politics, spirirtuality, the environment, and more.  He describes working with Robin Williams on Dead Poets Society, why he finds the most creative fullfillment in music not acting, and what he calls the "spiritual marriage" between an actor and director.  He opens up about how his admiration for the work of Thomas Murton, and his thoughts on the social responsibility of religious leaders, and his own spiritual journey influenced his performance as a parish pastor in his latest film First Reformed.  Plus Ethan talks about what he calls the velocity of depression, why he’s not afraid to take long breaks from the silver screen, his work with the YMCA to help kids overcome divisiveness, and his upcoming project about our favorite “mad scientist” Nicola Tesla.

See Ethan Hawke in Paul Schrader's brilliant film First Reformed now playing in theaters.  Today's episode was sponsored by Adiamor Jewelry.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his role in the 2000 Camp David Summit, and his tortured dealings with Yasser Arafat.  He recalls his early years growing up on a kibbutz, how his intelligence and navigating skills lead the physically unimposing young man to become commander of Israel's special forces unit Sayeret Matkal, and the time he lead a daring mission to rescue hostages on a hijacked Sabena Flight in 1972.  He talks about current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who served under his command and later became his political rival, he discusses his own transition from military officer to politician, and reveals what he says was the biggest mistake of his political career.  Plus, Ehud Barak shares how his thinking has evolved on the Iran nuclear agreement.

Order Ehud Barak's book new memoir My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace on Amazon or Audible.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Citizen Watches  and Grasshopper.

General Michael Hayden, former Director of the CIA, talks about his concerns over President Trump's attack on the Intelligence Community and objective facts.  He refutes the President’s paranoid narrative of a so called "deep state" operating in the shadows, explains the lasting impact of a damaged relationship between the Intelligence Community and the Commander-in-Chief, and reveals what friends inside the IC are saying about that relationship including how they have to tailor the Daily Intelligence Brief to a President with zero attention span and constantly wonder “do you think he got that?”  General Hayden talks about the lasting impact of the IC’s decision to focus their efforts on cyber instead of information dominance and reveals how one analyst saw the early warning signs 2 years before the Russian attack of the 2016 election.  He weighs in on the President’s nominee for CIA director Gina Haspel, the decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, and why he believes Kim Jung Un is unlikely to give up his nukes.  Plus General Hayden discusses the advice he gives to those considering a job in the Administration, how the President’s Twitter addiction aids our enemies, and the Russian’s FSB’s nickname for men like Donald Trump..."the useful idiot."

Order Michael Hayden's book The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies on Amazon or Audible.  and follow him on twitter at @GenMHayden.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Citizen Watches, US Marker Board, and Grasshopper.

CNN political analyst Sally Kohn talks about her investigation into the epidemic of hate all around us and how we can stop it. She discusses what scientists and researchers have learned about the evolutionary and cultural roots of hate, and how incivility can be a gateway to much worse.  She shares some surprising lessons and dramatic stories from her travels to Rwanda, the Middle East, and across the United States engaging with former terrorists, white supremacists, and even her own Twitter trolls.  Plus Sally Kohn opens up about confronting some of her own less than perfect moments such as when she bullied a classmate in school or times when the ugliness of the politics has gotten the best of her.

Order her book The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity on Amazon or Audible.  Subscribe to her podcast The State of Resistance on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.  For more information, visit www.sallykohn.com and follow her on twitter at @sallykohn.  Today's podcast is sponsored by Everquote, US Marker Board, and Zyppah.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham helps us understand the present moment of crisis in American politics by looking back at critical times in our history when hope overcame hatred and reveals how his latest book The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels was born in the dark days following the infamous Charlottesville rally.  He talks about similarities between the current age and the 1920’s, how America during Great Depression could have easily followed the path of Germany into totalitarianism, and what Donald Trump could learn from the fate of red-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy.  He discusses moments when Presidents have served as moral leaders for the nation including the day George H.W. Bush handed in his NRA card and an oft forgotten speech by Dwight Eisenhower that is all too relevant today.  Plus George H.W. Bush's biographer shares some candid memories of the late former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Order Jon Meacham's book The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels on Amazon or Audible.  Keep up with him at www.jonmeacham.com and follow him on Twitter at @jmeacham.  Today's episode was sponsored by Citizen Watches, Grasshopper, Quip, and U.S. Markerboard. 

For six years, journalist Vegas Tenold embedded himself
among the members of three of America's most ideologically extreme white nationalist groups including the KKK, neonazis, and the Traditionalist Workers Party.  He reveals how this self-described Norwegian socialist managed to gain access to some of the worst hate groups in America, and why he says the most dangerous groups aren’t the KKK or neonazis, but a new class of well organized activists seeking to take their hateful ideology mainstream.  He recalls covering the notorious Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville 
and explains why law enforcement was partly to blame for the violence.  He talks about some of the dog whistles that politicians use to signal fidelity with white nationalists, his experience watching the 2016 election returns with the head of the Traditionalist Workers Party, and why he says these groups are ultimately doomed to fail.  Plus the dangers of being a bald white Norwegian at a skinhead rally.

Order Everything You Love Will Burn: Inside the Rebirth of White Nationalism in America on Amazon or Audible and follow Vegas Tenold on twitter at @vegastenold.  Today's episode was sponsored by Everquote, Grasshopper, and Zyppah. 

Comedian Paul Rodriguez tells stories from his 40 year career in showbusiness, including his first time on The Tonight Show, why Johnny Carson banned him from the NBC studios, and the "higher power" who intervened on his behalf.  He talks about getting his start as a valet at the Comedy Store and how that led to his being a runner for Richard Pryor, he shares some advice Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore gave him when he started out, and recalls some wild times from his days living in a comedians dormatory above the Comedy Store.  Plus Paul Rodriguez shares his worst gig ever.

Paul Rodriguez's new standup special The Here & Wow
is available May 1 via Comedy Dynamics Network. 
The album of The Here and Wow comes out May 4.  For Paul’s upcoming shows, visit his website at www.paulrodriguez.com
and follow him at @ThePaulRod.  Today's episode was sponsored by Intercom, Citizen Watches, Dollar Shave Club, and Policy Genius.

Journalists Michael Isikoff and David Corn discuss Russia’s long simmering plan to undermine American democracy, and how the U.S. Intelligence Community failed to see the warning signs in 2016.  They delve into a rogue’s gallery of Russia enablers from Paul Manafort to Carter Paige and analyze why the Trump campaign and Russian cyberattackers seemed to be so suspiciously in sync.  They talk about President Donald Trump’s strange infatuation with Vladimir Putin, why President Obama didn’t do more to stop Russian interference before it was too late, and what was Donald Trump up to in that infamous Moscow hotel room in 2013.

Order Michael Isikoff and David Corn's book Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump on Amazon or Audible.  You can read more by Michael Isikoff on Yahoo News or on twitter at @Isikoff and subscribe to his podcast Skullduggery wherever you listen to podcasts.  You can read David Corn’s articles at www.mortherjones.com and frequently hear his expert political analysis on MSNBC.  Follow David on Twitter at @DavidCornDC.  Today's episode was sponsored by Grasshopper, Untuckit, and Intercom.

Rerun of 9/5/17 episode w/ guest Bryan Cranston. Actor Bryan Cranston recalls a difficult childhood and the two year road trip that changed his life.  He shares some of his adventures before acting including traveling as a carny, catching shoplifters as security guard, and the time he ended up a suspect in a murder investigation.  He talks about getting a crash course in comedy from Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, landing the role of a lifetime on Breaking Bad, and how he built one of the most iconic characters in the history of television.  Bryan Cranston also gives some advice for aspiring actors, reveals how his life has changed since "Walter White," and why he loves making small talk with old people.

Order Bryan Cranston's bestselling memoir A Life in Parts on Amazon or download the audiobook at www.audible.com.  Bryan Cranston stars in Last Flag Flying which opens in theatres November 3.  Follow Bryan on Twitter at @BryanCranston.

Professor Steven Pinker (Bill Gates' favorite author) discusses the irony that the news media has become measurably more negative at same time as our quality life has dramatically improved.  He outlines how the top 15 objective metrics of human progress indicate that life is getting better not worse, and he says fear of things like globalism and income inequality is greatly exaggerated and largely unfounded.  He calls for the left and the right to stop politicizing science, the embrace of humanism over tribalism, and more critical thinking and less political correctness in our universities.

Order Steven Pinker's book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress on Amazon or Audible.
Keep up with Steven Pinker at www.stevenpinker.com or on twitter at @sapinker.  Today's episode was sponsored by Grasshopper, Untuckit, and Adiamor Jewelry.

Comedian Louie Anderson returns to talk about mining the more poignant moments of his childhood for comedy and some of the comedic expressions he borrowed from his own parents.  He discusses how his mother Ora Zella Anderson inspired his Emmy-winning role on Baskets, he reveals the questions he’d most like to ask his mother if she were still alive, and opens up about learning to forgive his abusive father and also himself.  Plus Louie Anderson on finally learning to eat healthy after 65 years, what he says to fans who fear a skinny Louie won’t be funny anymore, and his curious connection to silent movie star Fatty Arbuckle.

Order Louie Anderson's new book HEY MOM: STORIES FOR MY MOTHER, BUT YOU CAN READ THEM TOO on Amazon or Audible.com.  Watch his new standup special BIG UNDERWEAR on Amazon, Comcast, DIRECTV, AT&T, DISH, iTunes, Charter, Google Play and many other platforms.  Visit www.louieanderson.com for his upcoming standup dates and follow him on Twitter at @LouieAnderson.  Today's episode was sponsored by Policy Genius, Grasshopper, and Adiamor.

Jennifer Palmieri, communications director of the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign, says she wants to turn the results of the 2016 election into something empowering for future female leaders and advises the next woman who runs for President to write her own playbook not emulate her male predecessors.  She shares her insider’s perspective on the Clinton campaign, gives some insight into the candidate who she says was reluctant to run for President in 2016 and was all too aware of the slings and arrows that would come her way.  She also shares some wisdom from another famous female mentor of hers the late Elizabeth Edwards, she re-examines the role of former FBI director James Comey in the 2016 election, and explains why Hillary Clinton’s email problem was about way more than just emails.  Plus Jennifer Palmieri responds to all those armchair strategists who asked “where was THAT Hillary?” after her concession speech, she suggests that candidates for office should cry more and nod less, and she casts the Batman version of the 2016 election.

Order Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World on Amazon or download the audio version at www.audible.com.  Follow Jennifer Palmieri on twitter at @jmpalmieri.  Today's episode was sponsored by Grasshopper and AppRiver.

Director Barry Levinson explores the Penn State sexual abuse scandal that ended Coach Joe Paterno’s career in his new film PATERNO on HBO.  He explains why he wanted to present the straight facts of the case without actually taking sides, talks the about the student riots that broke out when Penn State fired Paterno, and reveals what the film has to say about Americans’ views on issues of loyalty, tribalism, and the truth.  Barry Levinson also recalls his early days teaming up with another "coach" Craig T. Nelson to form a nightclub comedy duo, writing sketches for THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, directing his first movie at the urging of his mentor Mel Brooks, and he shares behind-the-scenes stories from some of his classic films including DINER, TIN MEN, RAIN MAN, AVALON, and more.  Plus Barry Levinson talks about why Hollywood doesn’t make films about human beings anymore, whether he’d like to make a sequel to WAG THE DOG for the age of "fake news," and how an infamous drug kingpin got him into his first acting class.

PATERNO is available now on HBO GO, HBO NOW and HBO ON DEMAND.  Today's episode was sponsored by AppRiver, Adiamor Jewelry, and Grasshopper.

Actor Ed Helms (THE OFFICE, THE HANGOVER) talks about playing Ted Kennedy's best friend in CHAPPAQUIDDICK, why the Chappaquiddick incident is an often forgotten chapter in America’s modern political history, and how making the film led him to reassess his own ideas about "Camelot."  He also reveals how the Kennedy damage control team used the moon landing to distract from the scandal, ponders Chappaquidick’s place in Ted Kennedy’s larger legacy, and wonders how the scandal might have played out differently in the age of 24 hour news and social media.  Ed Helms talks about working with fellow comic Jim Gaffigan on the film,
mining the Kennedy story for moments of dark comedy, and mastering the notoriously tricky Massachusetts accent.  He also discusses his own politics, gleefully recalls exposing hypocrites and bad guys as a correspondent on The Daily Show, remembers his start in entertainment as a cocky sarcastic voiceover guy, and explains why he says it's good to be "a fool at life."

CHAPPAQUIDDICK opens in theatres tomorrow Friday April 6.  Follow Ed Helms on Twitter at @edhelms, check out his website for bluegrass lovers at www.thebluegrasssituation.com and visit his own bluegrass band the Lonesome Trio at www.thelonesometrio.com.  Today's episode was sponsored by AppRiver, Adiamor Jewelry, and Grasshopper.

Andie MacDowell discusses why there are so few good roles for actresses over 40 and why she thinks that’s about to change.  She talks about getting thrown into the deep end on her very first movie GREYSTOKE, the hard work she had to do to get from that film to her break-out role in SEX LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, and what she learned about grief and healing on her latest movie LOVE AFTER LOVE.  She discusses why she’s chosen to live outside of Los Angeles until recently, some of the advice she gives to her two daughters who are now acting, and her perspective on Hollywood's long road to Time's Up.

LOVE AFTER LOVE opens in theaters Friday, March 30.  Follow Andie on twitter at @AndieMacDowell3.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Squarespace, AppRiver Grasshopper, Google Cloud Platform.

Actor/director Tim Robbins discusses how his new HBO series HERE AND NOW is tapping into the anxiety of America in 2018 and why his classic political mockumentary BOB ROBERTS is more relevant now than ever.  He says Harvey Weinstein reminds him of the shady operators he knew growing up in New York’s Greenwich Village, he recalls studying real studio execs for his role in Robert Altman’s THE PLAYER, and he remembers Altman's mentoring Tim's leap from actor to director.  He discusses how he funded his first play while he was still a struggling actor, how his latest play THE NEW COLOSSUS is putting personal faces to the immigration issue, and why he’s using The Actors Gang to bring theatre into California prisons.  Plus Tim opens up about turning 60, weighs in on the current struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party, and recounts the time he heckled Henry Kissinger outside of a famous celebrity restaurant.

THE NEW COLOSSUS is playing now through May 12 at The Actors Gang in Culver City, CA.  Visit www.theactorsgang.com for tickets or to learn more.  See Tim in Alan Ball’s excellent new series HERE AND NOW with a subscription to HBO, HBO GO, or HBO NOW.  Keep up with Tim at www.timrobbins.net or on twitter at @TimRobbins1.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Dollar Shave Club and Policy Genius.

David Mamet discusses how the old gangster stories he heard as a child inspired him to write CHICAGO: A NOVEL.  He talks about his love of classic noir and hot jazz, and dislike of social media, computers, and flowery prose.  He shares why famous figures are better felt than heard in historical fiction, why he says Hollywood is dead, and why he never reads his own reviews.  He teases his latest play about Harvey Weinstein, and reveals his longing to live as a reporter in the 1920’s and die as a whorehouse piano player with a whiskey and a cigarette.

Order David Mamet's new book CHICAGO: A NOVEL on Amazon.
Today's podcast was sponsored by Google Cloud Platform podcast, AppRiver, Breach podcast, Quip, Google Cloud Spanner, and Hair Regrowth from Just for Men.

Futurist Michio Kaku says sooner or later humanity will face the possibility of extinction, and it’s up to scientists to come up with a plan B whether it’s another planet or even another galaxy.  He explains why it’s important for us to return to the moon, how we would go about terraforming Mars, and what he calls the new "gold rush" that could fund NASA indefinitely.  He shares his theory on why we haven’t encountered alien life and where humans fit in on his hierarchy of civilizations.  Michio Kaku describes the three ways the universe will almost certainly die, but says in the meantime immortality might be just around the corner.  Plus he gives me a progress update on what he calls his life’s work proving Einstein’s Unified Theory of Everything.

Order Michio Kaku's book The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth on Amazon.  Keep up with him at www.mkaku.org and follow him on Twitter at @michiokaku.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Grasshopper, Policy Genius, Google Cloud Platform, and Hulu's The Looming Tower.

Andrew Zimmern host of Bizarre Foods on The Travel Channel talks about how he became the man who’ll eat anything and some of the weirdest foods he’s tried over the years.  He reveals some of the strangest delicacies that turned out to be surprisingly good and whether he’s finally learned to love his old nemesis - the infamously stinky durian fruit.  He’ll discuss his broader mission to spread tolerance and understanding because as he puts it, "social change often starts with our stomachs."  He recalls how he went from living on the streets to globe trotting on The Travel Channel, he explains why his newest show The Zimmern List is his most personal one yet, and why he finally decided to share the one special restaurant that he swore he’d never reveal to the public.  Plus, Andrew discusses why freshness matters when eating testicles, the best bird fetus he ever ate, and two words...snake wine.

The Zimmern List airs Tuesdays 9 p.m. ET/PT on The Travel Channel.  To learn more, visit www.travelchannel.com.  You can also check out lots of other cool stuff at www.AndrewZimmern.com and follow Andrew on twitter at @AndrewZimmern.
This podcast was sponsored by Grasshopper, ZQuiet, Google Cloud Platform Weekly Podcast, and VMWare Executive Perspective Podcast.

Robert Malley, president of the International Crisis Group, discusses ICG's annual list of the 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2018.  He cautions against Donald Trump’s bluster about decertifying the Iran Nuclear Deal, warns that the stakes in North Korea are too high to be ignored, and speculates on what will happen in Syria once ISIS has been defeated militarily.  He reveals why he thinks a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is unlikely and how his childhood practically destined him for a life in crisis resolution.

Visit www.crisisgroup.org to learn more about the International Crisis Group, and follow Robert Malley and ICG on twitter at @Rob_Malley and @CrisisGroup.  This podcast was sponsored by Grasshopper, Squarespace, and Google Cloud Platform.

Comedian Nikki Glaser talks about the worst week of her life, why she’s steering clear of politics for a while, and why she decided to move to NYC rather than get up early. She reveals why she likes long distance relationships, why she prefers to follow really good comedians, and why she’s banned from Urban Outfitters. Plus, how Nikki sorta saved my relationship.

Her new radio show YOU UP WITH NIKKI GLASER airs Monday through Thursday from 10:00 A.M to Noon ET and 7-9A.M. PT to 9:00 A.M. PT on SiriusXM’s Comedy Central Radio Channel 95. Keep up with Nikki at www.NikkiGlaser.com and follow her on twitter at @NikkiGlaser.  This podcast was sponsored by AppRiver, Linked In Jobs, Just for Men Hair Regrowth and Google Cloud Platform.

The cast and creator of THE DEATH OF STALIN talk about mining one of Russia’s darkest chapters for comedy and some of absurd but true stories that make into THE DEATH OF STALIN. Writer/director Armando Ianucci (VEEP, THE THICK OF IT) talks about how fighting ruthless authoritarians is a family tradition for him, why Russian officials think his movie is part of a western plot destabilize that country, and why the creator of VEEP is finally ready to give politics a break for a while.

Steve Buscemi (BOARDWALK EMPIRE, RESERVOIR DOGS, FARGO) discusses playing Nikita Kruschev in THE DEATH OF STALIN, his early career in standup comedy, how he says Stalin’s inner circle was more like The Three Stooges, and why his old AOL account is the best insurance against Russia hackers. Andrea Riseborough (BIRDMAN, OBLIVION)who portrays Svetlana Stalina talks about the illusive relationship between the ruthless dictator and his daughter and some of her favorite British comedies.

THE DEATH OF STALIN opens in theaters on Friday, March 9. For more information, visit www.DeathOfStalin.co.uk or www.ifcfilms.com. Today’s podcast was sponsored by Grasshopper, ZQuiet, Hulu's The Looming Tower, Google Cloud Platform Podcast, and the VMWare Executive Perspective Podcast.

Cass Sunstein attempts to answer the question "Can authoritarianism happen in America?"  He discusses a few of America’s past flirtations with authoritarianism, some of the weaknesses in our system that could be exploited by an aspiring strongman, and why if it did happen, it would likely be a very gradual process instead of a bold power-grab.  He talks about the ways that tribalism, nationalism and conspiracy theories create a fertile breeding ground for authoritarianism, he reveals whether he thinks President Trump secretly aspires to that sort of power, and America's most cited legal scholar weighs in on the Trump-Russia investigation.

Order Cass Sunstein's book Can It Happen Here?: Authoritarianism in America on Amazon and follow him on Twitter at @CassSunstein. Today's podcast is sponsored by The Big Question with Cal Fussman, Quip, AppRiver, and Google Cloud AI.

Matt Ingebretson and Jake Weisman, the stars and co-creators of the new Comedy Central series CORPORATE talk about their own experiences in corporate America and the irony doing their new show for corporate conglomerate Viacom.  They discuss why they wanted a darker tone than typical workplace comedies, how they convinced Lance Reddick to play their tyranical boss, and why they took on the one holiday you that can’t make fun of in their season finale.  Plus Matt and Jake talk about development hell, marvel at the modern wonder of a simple banana, and reveal why everyone’s a number at Amazon.

CORPORATE airs Wednesdays at 10/9Central on Comedy Central.  For more information, go to www.cc.com/shows/corporate.  Follow Matt Ingebretson and Jake Weisman on Twitter at @mattingebretson and @weismanjake.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Google Cloud AI, The Looming Tower on Hulu, and Grasshopper.

Attorney Gloria Allred was fighting for women long before anyone ever hashtagged Me Too or Time's Up, and she's the subject of a new Netflix documentary Seeing Allred.  She reveals how her own personal experience inspired to fight for victims assault, harassment, and discrimination.  She addresses critics who say she just does it all for the publicity, and explains that for many of her clients such as the Cosby accusers, a "trial" in the court of public opinion may be the only justice they can get.  She talks about how that's changing with a new California law that extends the statute of limitations for sexual assault, she discusses why she decided to represent the family of Nicole Brown Simpson during the O.J. trial, and she gives an update on her client Summer Zervos’s pending defamation suit against President Donald Trump.  Plus she talks about her surprisingly cordial relationship with defense attorney Alan Dershowitz, the battle of the Friar’s Club steam room, and why so many people call her "Senator."

Watch Seeing Allred on Netflix now, and keep up with Gloria Allred at www.gloriaallred.com or on Twitter at @GloriaAllred.  Today's podcast was sponsored by App River, Grasshopper, Just for Men Hair Regrowth, ZQuiet, and Google Cloud Platform podcast.

20 years ago comedian Ali Siddiq served six years in the Texas state penitentiary, and now he’s returning to the cellblock for his new Comedy Central standup special Ali Siddiq: It’s Bigger Than These Bars.  On today’s podcast, Ali talks about the incident that landed behind bars, and why he says “mental prison” is far worse than physical prison.  He discusses how he started his comedy career by telling funny stories to his fellow prisoners, how he convinced the Bell County Jail to let him back in for his new standup special, and some of the surprising changes he saw in both the inmates and their guards. He recalls starting out in showbusiness on the modern day equivalent of the “chitlin' circuit,” reveals why his favorite comics are all old white guys, and answers which is the tougher audience…comedy club-goers or hardened criminals.

Ali Siddiq: It’s Bigger Than These Bars premieres on Friday, February 23 at 11:00 p.m. Eastern on Comedy Central. Check out Ali's upcoming live dates at www.alisiddiq.com and follow him on Twitter at @Ali_Speaks.  Today's podcast was sponsored by Google Cloud Platform, Grasshopper, SeatGeek, and Adiamor.com.

Malcolm McDowell has starred in over 260 films and television shows from classics like Clockwork Orange to his latest role as an egotistical conductor on Mozart in the Jungle.  He shares stories about "mostly drunken gambling and whoring" at the Royal Shakespeare Company, how he came up with the infamous Singin' in the Rain scene for Clockwork Orange, and how he got stiffed by the film’s notoriously cheap director Stanley Kubrick.  The maestro discusses his strategy for conducting the symphony on Mozart in the Jungle and how the show bravely rebels against agism and Hollywood's conventional idea's about romance.  Plus he recalls working with greats like Peter O’Toole, Laurence Olivier, and John Gielgud, he reveals why he turned down a chance to be knighted, and he talks about the role that made him public enemy number one for trekkies.

Season 4 of Mozart in the Jungle is now available with a subscription to Amazon Prime. Today's episode was sponsored by Squarespace,  Google Cloud Platform Weekly Podcast, and Grasshopper.  

Comedians Randy and Jason Sklar talk about how they got into comedy and why they don’t just want to be known as the "twin comics." They talk about their podcast Dumb People Town that riffs on the dumbing down of America, talk about a few of the DPT characters who’ve become folk heroes to their fans, and what it says about life in the age of Donald Trump.  Plus they talk about their new docu-comedy Poop Talk that uses humor to address one the biggest social taboos of all.

The Sklar Brothers' new film Poop Talk is available On Demand, on iTunes, on Amazon, and in theaters starting Friday, February 16.  Subscribe to the Sklar bros podcasts Dumb People Town
and View from the Cheap Seats. Visit their website at www.supersklars.com and follow them on twitter at @SklarBrothers.  Today's episode was sponsored by Last Week Tonight w/ John Oliver, Google Cloud Platform Weekly Podcast, and Grasshopper.  

Elan Gale, executive-producer of The Bachelor, says if you want to improve your life, be your own worst critic, not your own best cheerleader, and get to know your new best friends...shame, anxiety, and desperation.  He takes on some of the most popular and meaningless inspirational phrases explaining why only narcissists believe "everything happens for a reason and "living without regrets" is a recipe for complacency.  Plus Elan Gale on why Trump never learns anything, the best question to ask in an interview, and the stupidest hashtags on instagram.

Order Elan Gale's book You’re Not That Great (But Neither Is Anyone Else) on Amazon or Audible and follow him on twitter and instagram at @TheYearOfElan.  Today's episode was sponsored by Squarespace, LinkedIn Jobs, and Hair Regrowth from Just for Men.

Comedian Whitney Cummings talks about the humbling experience of being a first time director on her film The Female Brain, how she learned that every moment doesn’t have to be a joke, and why she says The Female Brain isn’t just for the ladies.  She shares how she broke free of a cycle of co-depency once she started understanding the neurochemistry behind her bad choices and why she says it’s a lot harder to come up with jokes when you don’t have all that none-stop drama.  Whitney weighs in on the Me Too movement and hints that the new Roseanne reboot (which she's executive-producing) might just help us understand how middle-America went for Trump.  Plus, Whitney talks about being a lady comedian in the Middle East, those women who see Marilyn Monroe as a feminist role model, and how she almost accidentally killed Sofia Vergara.

The Female Brain opens in theaters Friday, February 9.  For more information, visit www.ifcfilms.com.  Order Whitney’s very funny book I’m Fine…And Other Lies on Amazon, and you can keep up with her at www.whitneycummings.com or on twitter at @WhitneyCummings.  Today's episode was sponsored by Google Cloud AI.

David Frum, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, discusses his new book TRUMPOCRACY: THE CORRUPTION OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC.  He documents how Trump and his administration is steadily damaging the tenets of American democracy, warns that Trump’s military generals could become a liability to the President, and how the Trump Administration’s buffoonery may be incompetence by design with an end game of subverting the rule of law and undermining our Democratic institutions. Plus, Frum throws cold water on the idea that Trump might be a useful idiot for Congressional Republicans, explains why a Democrat win in the 2018 midterms could drive Republicans even closer to Trump, and discusses Trump’s bizarre habit of picking fights with allies in his own party.

Order TRUMPOCRACY: THE CORRUPTION OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC on Amazon or Audible.  Read David’s writing in The Atlantic, visit his website at www.davidfrum.com, and follow him on twitter at @DavidFrum.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kubernetes Engine on Google Cloud Platform.

David Cay Johnston, bestselling author of The Making of Donald Trump, returns to the podcast to say "I told you so" and discuss his new book It’s Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration Is Doing to America.  The Pulitzer-winning investigative journalist says the President who promised to "drain the swamp" has become the biggest swamp monster of all.  He describes how Trump is packing government agencies with "political termites" who are eating away at the very institutions they’re supposed to protect.  He gives lie to the myth of Donald Trump as the champion of the American worker, explains the President’s two very different standards of justice, and reveals how Trump is enriching his family and giving away valuable government property to a new class of American oligarchs.  Plus David Cay Johnston says he knows what the Mueller investigation has on Trump, he weighs in on the Stormy Daniels scandal, and makes a prediction for the 2018 midterms.

Order It's Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration is Doing to America on Amazon or Audible.  Visit www.davidcayjohnston.com and follow David on twitter at @DavidCayJ.  Today's episode was sponsored by Kubernetes Engine on Google Cloud Platform.

Dr. Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic Magazine, talks about his new book Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia.  He reveals the surprising history of our concept of heaven, he proves that out-of-body experiences are nothing more than hallucinations, and he questions why reincarnated souls only seem to hang around India.  He discusses why it’s unlikely that you or anyone else will ever live past 125, why utopian societies always end badly, and why scientists still have some major kinks to work out in their quest to cheat death.  Plus, skeptic Michael Shermer talks about his unlikely friendship with Deepak Chopra, he weighs on Trump’s ongoing battle with the truth, and settles whether Walt Disney is cryonically frozen.

Order Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia on Amazon or Audible.  Visit www.skeptic.com and www.michaelshermer.com, and follow Michael on twitter at @MichaelShermer.  Today's episode was sponsored by Squarespace and SeatGeek.

Phil Rosenthal, creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, reveals how the idea for his new travel show Somebody Feed Phil came from a trip he and Ray Romano took to Italy, he recalls some of the cultural roadblocks he encountered when he later produced the Russian version of Everybody Loves Raymond, and talks about the places he likes to call the "world’s greatest hits."  He praises TelAviv as a perfect example of food’s power to overcome all differences, says Portugal is way more than just Spain’s little stepbrother, and suggests a city where you can experience all kinds of international cultures and flavors right here in America.  Plus talks about an encounter with the notorious durian fruit, how to eat on camera without looking like a slob, and why the best meal of your life may only cost you a buck!

Watch all six episodes of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix
and follow Phil on twitter at @PhilRosenthal. Today's episode was sponsored by Squarespace and SeatGeek.

Former Secretary of State George Shultz recalls his close friendship with President Ronald Reagan, the moment he realized that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev was someone the U.S. could do business with, and Reagan's Pershing missile moment as a masterclass in peace through strength.  He suggests that President Trump may soon need to have a "Pershing moment" of his own, reveals what he learned in a meeting years ago with a young Vladimir Putin, and weighs in as an economist on the Trump tax reform act.  Plus George Shultz discusses why Ronald Reagan never bluffed, why foreign policy is a lot like gardening, and why the prospect of nuclear war still keeps him up at night.

George Shultz is a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and you can read some of his articles at www.hoover.org.  Today's episode was sponsored by Credit Karma and The Art of Charm podcast.

Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Greg Barker (Ghosts of Rwanda, Manhunt, Homegrown) talks about following President Barack Obama and other senior White House officials during the final 12 months of the Obama Administration for his new film THE FINAL YEAR. He reveals some of the heartbreaking humanitarian nightmares faced by UN Ambassador Samantha Power, what it was like for Secretary of State John Kerry to return to Vietnam 45 years after fought in the war there, and why President Obama chose Greece for his last overseas stop.  He explains John Kerry's version of diplomatic speed dating, gives a fly on the wall perspective on the Syrian peace deal that never was, and discusses the Obama Administration’s fundamental miscalculation about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

THE FINAL YEAR opens in theatres and on demand this Friday, January 19.  For more information visit www.thefinalyearfilm.com and follow Greg Barker on twitter at @GJBarker.  Today's episode was sponsored by Control GX. 

General David Petraeus talks about implementing the successful "Surge" strategy in Iraq, and some of the unique complexities he encountered when translating that plan to the war in Afghanistan.  He discusses the fundamentals of counterinsurgency, his personal disdain for yes men, the paradox of nation building, and how a grad school dissertation on the Vietnam War helped shape his world view.  Plus General Petraeus weighs in on President Trump and the return of large geopolitical rivalries.  Today's episode was sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs and The Art of Charm podcast. 

ABC Nightline's Dan Harris has become a self-professed meditation evangelist ever since his infamous on-air panic attack in 2004 and today he tries to win over the ultimate skeptic...ME.  He reveals how daily meditation has improved life at home and at work, he dispels some of the myths surrounding meditation, and he discusses the  science behind the physical, mental and emotional health benefits of meditation.  He gives a crash course in how you can begin meditating with as little as one minute of free time, and he tells stories from his 23 state meditation bus tour including encounters with some surprising meditation fans like an Ohio Congressman and the cadets and professors of VMI.

Order Dan's book MEDITATION FOR FIDGETY SKEPTICS on Amazon or download the audio book on Audible.  Subscribe to Dan's 10% Happier Podcast and download the 10% Happier App.  Follow him on twitter at @danbharris and at www.10percenthappier.com.  Watch him weeknights on ABC’s Nightline and on the weekend edition of Good Morning America.  Today's episode was sponsored by Squarespace and The Post.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower behind the Pentagon Papers, reveals how helped design America's top secret nuclear war plan and why he has since dedicated his life to dismantling it.  He explains why the movie Dr. Strangelove is not far from the truth, discloses that the President isn’t the only one with his finger on the nuclear button, and explains just how far down the chain of command that authority may reverberate.  He reveals the potentially staggering human cost of America’s first strike strategy,
the logic behind the Joint Chiefs’ apparent peace with that risk, and their calculated willingness to obliterate US allies in the process.  Plus Daniel Ellsberg weighs in on the nuclear game of chicken between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, he lends some credence to the idea that’s there’s a so called “deep state” operating beyond the President’s authority, and America’s most famous whistleblower shatters the myth that all secrets in Washington eventually get leaked.

Order Daniel Ellsberg's book The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner on Amazon or download the audio book at Audible.com.  Daniel Ellsberg is on Twitter at @Daniel Ellsberg, and you can keep up with him and view lots of supplementary documents about the Pentagon Papers and America’s nuclear war plan at www.ellsberg.net. Today's episode was sponsored by The Art of Charm podcast.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Mike Duncan, host of The History of Rome podcast and Revolutions, constantly gets asked "Is America doomed to the same fate as the Roman Empire?"  Today he points to some startling parallels to US current events including populist demagoguery, economic inequality, the erosion of societal norms, and debate over who deserves to be a citizen.  He also offers ideas on how the American Republic can avoid the same fate as the Roman Republic before it's too late.

Order Mike Duncan's book The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic on Amazon or download the audio book at Audible.com.  Subscribe to Revolutions and The History of Rome wherever you listen to podcasts or visit www.revolutionspodcast.com and www.thehistoryofrome.typepad.com.  Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDuncan.  Today's episode is sponsored by Tripping.com.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoons, talks about his new book Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don't Matter.  He reveals why facts and ideology no longer matter, why Donald Trump makes what he says are intentional misstatements, and how Trump uses what he calls “linguistic kill shots” to flatten his opponents.  He also weighs in why Trump’s "persuasion skills" haven’t been very effective on Congress and whether or not Trump supporters should be insulted at being manipulated by their President.  Plus, how to hypnotize anyone, how Scott’s endorsement of Trump impacted his Dilbert readership, and an early prediction for 2020.

Order Scott's book Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don't Matter on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible.  Visit Scott’s website at www.blog.dilbert.com and follow him on Twitter at @ScottAdamsSays.  Today's episode is sponsored by Credit Karma.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Academy Award-nominated director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down, The Martian) joins me on the podcast to discuss how he saved his movie ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD from the Kevin Spacey scandal by making the unprecedented decision to recast the role with the legendary Christopher Plummer and reshoot much of the film just 6 weeks before it hits theaters.  He talks about the late billionaire J. Paul Getty, why the richest man in the world refused to pay his own grandsons’ ransom, and what the oil magnate’s heirs have had to say about the film.  Then actor Charlie Plummer (Boardwalk Empire, The Dinner), who plays Getty's kidnapped grandson talks about the unimaginable wealth and privilege that came with being a Getty and what it was like to re-enact the gruesome moment when the real-life John Paul Getty III got his ear chopped off.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD opens in theatres on Christmas day 12/25.  To find out more visit www.allthemoney-movie.com.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Father Gregory Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program in the world.  He reveals what inspired him to start Homeboy Industries,
how he fosters kinship between the most unlikely of friends - rival gang members, and how more often then not it’s just a matter of getting two people in the same room.  He shares how law enforcement leaders are getting involved, what he’s learned from testifying in 50 death penalty trials, and how the church can do more to reach out to “the people in the margins.”

Order Father Greg's book Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible.  To donate or find out more about Homeboy Industries, visit www.homeboyindustries.com.  Follow them on twitter at @HomeBoyInd and follow Father Greg at @FrGregBoyle.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

David Hallberg is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and the first American ever to be admitted into Russia's legendary Bolshoi Ballet.  David talks about the discipline and dedication needed to make to the top as a dancer, the unique chemistry of partnering with the right ballerina, and the behind the scenes coaches who have passed down ballet’s greatest roles since the very beginning.  He recalls his tough adjustment to life in Moscow, some of the charming age-old traditions at the Bolshoi Ballet, and the unbelievable 2013 acid attack on his former boss Bolshoi director Sergei Fillin.  Plus David opens up about the debilitating injury that required him to completely relearn how to dance and his hard-won comeback to the ballet stage.

Order his book A Body of Work: Dancing to the Edge and Back
on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible.  Visit David’s website at www.DavidHallberg.com and follow him on Twitter at @DavidHallberg.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper and Orbi.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox & Friends, talks about his new book  Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny.  He describes a confrontation with a British officer that became a defining moment for a young Andrew Jackson, how Jackson lead an army with a bullet wound to his shoulder and dysentery, and how Jackson never deserted his men and threatened to shoot any man who deserted him!  Brian reveals why New Orleans was so strategically important, how Jackson’s army was able to defeat the British in a mere 45 minutes, and what the consequences might have been if Jackson had lost.  Plus Brian Kilmeade talks about the comparisons between Jackson and Trump and weighs in on recent calls to reavaluate Jackson’s place in the history books.  

Order Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny on Amazon or download the audio book on Audible.  Catch Brian Kilmeade every weekday on Fox and Friends and his radio show The Brian Kilmeade Show.  For more information visit www.briankilmeade.com and follow him on twitter at @Kilmeade.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper and Orbi.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie served as campaign manager and deputy campaign for Donald Trump's successful Presidential campaign and they write about that wild ride in their new book Let Trump Be Trump: The Inside Story of His Rise to the Presidency.  Today they talk about the man they still call "the boss," his seemingly limitless energy, and his obsession with leaks and loyalty. They discuss some of tense moments on the campaign from Trump's attack on Senator John McCain’s military service which Corey thought might end Trump’s candidacy to the make-or-break meeting of the campaign inner circle following the release of the Access Hollywood tape. Corey talks frankly about his falling out with the Trump kids and his opinion of Paul Manafort, and they settle whether George Papadopoulus was really a campaign insider or a glorified coffee boy.

Order Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie's new book Let Trump Be Trump: The Inside Story of His Rise to the Presidency on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible.  Follow them on twitter at @CLewandowski and @David_Bossie.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper and iFit Nourish  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Director/writer/producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Funny People, Trainwreck) talks about his lifelong love of comedy and how Amy Schumer got him to return to stand-up after a 25 year absence from the stage.  He shares some advice to young comedy writers, gives his take on Hollywood’s sexual harassment problem, and talks about fatherhood and his marriage to actress Leslie Mann.  Plus Judd Apatow discusses the tao of Gary Shandling, "stalking" Steve Martin, and what to do when Kermit the Frog thinks you’re unlovable.

Judd Apatow's Netflix comedy special Judd Apatow: The Return is available starting Tuesday, December 12.  Follow him on twitter at @JuddApatow.  Today's episode is sponsored by Grasshopper.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Legendary newsman Dan Rather talks about his 60 year career and how his travels and conversations have given him a “wide shot” of the American experience and the values that unite us.  He condemns recent attacks on some on those values (including freedom of the press), he shares his own family's experience during the Great Depression as a lesson in empathy, and he recalls how his time spent with men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Medger Evers opened his eyes to institutionalized racism in America.  He talks frankly about how his own thinking has evolved on some social issues, and he weighs in on the recent rash of sexual harassment scandals that have rocked the news business.  He discusses a few of the dozen Presidents he’s known in his 60 years as a journalist and reveals the one word that has always carried Dan Rather through good times and bad.

Order Dan Rather's book WHAT UNITES US: REFLECTIONS ON PATRIOTISM on Amazon or download the audio version on Audible.  Follow him on twitter at @DanRather or at www.newsandguts.com.  Today’s episode is sponsored by iFit Nourish.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

For Lawrence O’Donnell, host of MSNBC’s The Last Word,
the 1968 U.S. Presidential election was his political awakening,
and it has remained one of his abiding fascinations.  Today he talks about the war that sunk LBJ’s presidency and the wild election that followed including the indignities suffered by Senator Senator Eugene McCarthy, how the assassination of Bobby Kennedy threw the Democratic primary into chaos, and the impossible political position of the eventual Democratic nominee Humbert Humphrey.  He analyzes the strategy behind the unlikely political comeback of Richard Nixon, the disturbingly familiar tone of the racist George Wallace campaign, and how 1968 has set the stage for every presidential election to follow.

Order Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics on Amazon or download the audio version on Audible.  Watch The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell every week night at 10PM Eastern on MSNBC, and follow him on twitter at @Lawrence.  Today’s episode is sponsored by Grasshopper and Credible.com.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

A.J. Jacobs recounts his attempt to throw the worlds biggest family reunion, and his efforts to connect with the billions of people he calls his "cousins" via a project called the world family tree.  He discusses how this crazy project all began with an email from a dairy farmer in Israel, and quickly led him down a genealogical rabbit hole as he played "six degrees of A.J. Jacobs."  He says any person on the planet is no further than 70th cousins with anyone else, and every one of the 7 billion people on earth will be connected through a global family tree within the next 10-20 years.  A.J. discusses the potential for this idea to bridge divides, but he warns that genealogy can also expose uncomfortable truths and upend long held family narratives.  Plus A.J. earns the ultimate Mormon street cred, attends a get-together of the Hatfields and McCoys, and nearly loses his mind trying to round up thousands of his "cousins" for the world's biggest family reunion.

Order A.J. Jacobs' book IT'S ALL RELATIVE: ADVENTURES UP AND DOWN THE WORLD'S FAMILY TREE on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible. Follow A.J. on twitter at @ajjacobs or at www.ajjacobs.com.  Today’s episode is sponsored by Grasshopper, Credible.com, and iFit Nourish.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.

Tina Brown is arguably the most influential magazine editor of the past 50 years, having served as editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Tatler, and The Daily Beast.  She discusses her new book The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992, tells stories of the glamorous and cut-throat magazine trade, and dishes about some of the larger than life personalities she encountered in that world including a young Donald Trump and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.  She discusses the importance of the "mix" of a good magazine and recounts how she completely remade Vanity Fair from front to back.  She recalls having a front row seat for the excess of New York in 1980’s, and gives the backstory behind some of her favorite Vanity Fair covers including Annie Leibovitz's now iconic portrait of a naked pregnant Demi Moore.

Order The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible. Follow Tina Brown on twitter at @TinaBrownLM or at www.tinabrownmedia.com.  Today’s episode is sponsored by Credible.com.  Please subscribe to Kickass News on iTunes and take our listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.  

The Lean Startup founder Eric Ries talks about his new book The Startup Way.  Eric recalls his first crash-course in entrepreneurship, what went wrong with his very first tech venture, and why having failed startup under your belt is something of a right of passage in Silicon Valley.  He discusses the strikingly similar issues faced by both large corporations and new ventures, and why the biggest problem with many startups is that they simply never plan for success.  He discusses how he helped form the innovative Fastworks Program at the granddaddy of legacy companies General Electric, and how a more entrepreneurial system can improve the bottom line for all kinds of organizations from large multinational corporations to government bureaucracies.

Order The Startup Way: How Modern Companies Use Entrepreneurial Management to Transform Culture and Drive Long-Term Growth on Amazon or download the audiobook on Audible. Follow Eric on twitter at @ericries or at www.theleanstartup.com. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Grasshopper.   Please take our new listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.  

Comedian Brian Reagan talks about his very first standup act, the worst gig he ever had, and the double-edged sword of being labeled a "clean comic."  He reveals why he doesn’t like to see his audience,
why he never plays the town he lives in, and the incredibly weird audition that got him on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Plus Brian has a bone to pick with whoever invented tennis scoring, and he offers his sage advice for Middle East peace.

Brian Regan's Netflix comedy special Nunchucks and Flamethrowers  is available November 21.  Follow Brian on twitter at @brianregan and visit www.brianregan.com for tickets and tour dates.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex.  Please take our new listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.  

Paul Reiser and Jeff Sotzing discuss their new show There's...Johnny!, a funny and heartwarming coming of age series set amid the backstage antics on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  They talk about bringing Carson to a new generation of TV viewers, meticulously recreating the look of The Tonight Show for There's...Johnny!, and building each episode around some of Johnny Carson's most iconic television moments.  Paul recalls his first appearance on Carson, Johnny’s impeccable sense of comedic timing, and his generosity to young comics like himself.  Jeff shares memories of his uncle Johnny and his time working on The Tonight Show including being there for Carson’s final episode.  Plus the antics of the legendary Pat McCormick, the time Johnny Carson foiled an extortion plot, and Tony Danza as the oh so cool Tonight Show producer Freddie deCordova.

Season 1 of There’s...Johnny! is available on Hulu November 16. Keep up with Paul at www.paulreiser.com or on Twitter at @PaulReiser, and visit www.johnnycarson.com for memorable clips and other fun stuff from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex and Grasshopper.   Please take our new listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.  

Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush discuss their surprisingly normal childhood when they assumed that everyone’s grandfather got to have an inauguration, and why they initially didn't want their dad to run for President.  Barbara discusses the difficulties of having the same name as the First Lady, and the time a Yale professor offered her an A if she could convince her dad to call off the Iraq War.  Jenna talks about the infamous night they got caught drinking underage and recalls her and her husband's comical first date at the White House.  They reveal the creepy dictator who had photos of them in his palace, their experiences on election night 2000 and 9/11, and weigh in on the recent story that neither their dad nor their grandfather voted for Donald Trump in 2016.

Order Jenna and Barbara’s #1 bestseller Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life on Amazon or Audible.  To learn more, visit www.sistersfirst.com.  Catch Jenna on The Today Show on NBC and follow her on Twitter at @jennabushhager.  Learn more about Barbara’s terrific charity Global Health Corps at www.ghcorps.org  and follow them on twitter at @ghcorps.  Thank you to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum for hosting our interview.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex, Grasshopper, and AppRiver. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/KICK.  

Alec Baldwin and Kurt Andersen discuss their new book You Can't Spell America Without Me: The Really Tremendous Inside Story of My Fantastic First Year as President Donald J. Trump. Alec shares his thoughts Donald Trump’s bizarre twitter war with SNL, and Alec reveals a secret fan he has in the White House. They talk about the mentally taxing process of getting into the strange mind of Donald Trump, how Trump has blurred the lines between reality and fiction, and Trump’s deep love for conspiracy theories and dictators. Plus Paul Ryan tells off the President, Ivanka tricks him into seeing a shrink, and we debate whether Trump is the Godfather or Freddo.

Order Alec and Kurt’s book You Can't Spell America Without Me on Amazon or download the audio version hilariously read by Alec and Kurt on Audible. Subscribe to Alec’s podcast Here’s the Thing and Kurt's podcast Studio 360 on iTunes and look for lots more of Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump this season on Saturday Night Live. Visit the guys websites at www.kurtandersen.com and www.alecbaldwin.com and follow them on twitter at @alecbaldwin and @KBAndersen. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/KICK.  

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger explains the often misunderstood and highly evolved way of thinking that she calls "girl logic."  She relates girl logic to everything from the fashion and the work place to the most frustrating question a man can ask a woman - “what do you want to eat?”  Plus Iliza shares her thoughts on Harvey Weinstein, guys who fake their own deaths, how to win a reality show, and how to deal with mermaid hate mail.

Order Iliza Shlesinger's new book GIRL LOGIC: The Genius and The Absurdity on Amazon or download the audio version on Audible.
For Iliza's upcoming tour dates and more info, visit her website at www.iliza.com and follow her on twitter at @iliza.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex and AppRiver. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and take our annual listener survey at www.podsurvey.com/KICK.  

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried talks about his fear of being "outted" as family man in his new documentary GILBERT, recalls some of the worst gigs he ever had, and reveals why he used to look down on comics who "work dirty."  He explains why nazis love him, tells traveling salesmen jokes, does his impressions Humphrey Bogart at the postoffice and Jackie Gleason as Rick in Casablanca, and tells his infamous Danny Thomas story.

His documentary GILBERT opens at the IFC Center in NYC on 11/3, Laemmle Fine Art Theatre in LA on 11/10 and then in theatres across the country.  Subscribe to Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast, and you can keep up with him at www.GilbertGottfried.com or on twitter at @RealGilbert.