Hazmat Hotel

The season 2 premiere of Hazmat Hotel features a wide-ranging interview with The Lincoln Project co-founder Reed Galen on the group's unrelenting  campaign to unseat Donald Trump.  Are their incendiary viral videos actually moving the needle among Republicans, or are the polls discounting voters ashamed to admit they're still sticking with Trump? Galen  discusses why the loss of quintessential American traditions, like back to school, could doom Trump's reelection bid more than any other issue. And what happens to the GOP in a post-Trump world? Did the religious right effectively destroy the future of the party with its rigid abortion litmus test? Galen  weighs in on all of it.

Come November, if Trump loses, can Americans rely on law enforcement to ensure a peaceful and seamless transition of power? Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to national security expert and CNN analyst Asha Rangappa, a senior lecturer at the Yale Institute for Global Affairs, about the disturbing questions surrounding the 2020 presidential election. A former FBI counterintelligence agent and now a CNN analyst, Rangappa specializes in disinformation and democracy: How is Russia using white nationalism to further its goals in the west? Is the FBI still monitoring our president's relationship with the Kremlin? Is social media an actual threat to national security? Is it time to reconsider lifetime appointments for federal judges? For anyone concerned about the rule of law, this is a can't miss episode. #Coronavirus #elections #FBI #nationalsecurity #disinformation

Coronavirus and the resulting economic fallout have decimated jobs around the country. And while both presidential candidates are promising a recovery, the communities hardest hit by the pandemic could be excluded from seeing any stimulus unless more black experts have a seat at the table, according to Michigan State University economics professor Lisa D. Cook. Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to Dr. Cook about the cost of racism to our economy: why the stock market is soaring despite historic unemployment; what the lack of diversity at the Fed and in other key policy roles means for black communities; and how institutional racism stifles vital economic research that could help shepherd us through these challenging times. #coronavirus #economy #FederalReserve #unemployment #BLM #BlackLivesMatter

Just hours before Minneapolis erupted in flames, Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman sat down with quintessential New York reporter Errol Louis, host of NY1's "Inside City Hall", to pick his brain about the city's own criminal justice reform movement; whether New Yorkers are likely to elect another progressive mayor to succeed Bill De Blasio; the myth around the exodus of people from Manhattan in the wake of coronavirus; why the media downturn has been particularly brutal for New York City, and whether the Trumps could ever return to the place they once called home. A must-listen for New Yorkers and everyone else whose heart beats for the Big Apple. 

These are dark days, and laughs are hard to come by. Which is why we need comics like Maria DeCotis, who has won fame and accolades on social media for her parodies of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to DeCotis about what inspired her to take on one of the nation's most buzzed about political figures, how to find the funny in the toughest of circumstances,  and how live performers are adapting to the brave new world of digital. Meet one of Covid-19's first breakout stars. 

If your personal style these days can best described as 'elastic waist', you are not alone.  Stay-at-home orders and shutdowns of non-essential businesses have all but capsized the retail and fashion industries. Will we ever want to get dressed up again? And what will that mean post-pandemic? Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to bestselling author, stylist and TV personality Stacy London about how our current austerity has affected attitudes toward fashion, perhaps for good.  Will personal style make a resurgence when this is over, or are sweats the new black for the foreseeable future? How are emerging and established designers—both so reliant on manufacturing in China—responding to this moment? And what becomes of fashion influencers when low-key authenticity is the order of the day? 

Sidelined by coronavirus, Hollywood talent-spotters with time on their hands are now on the hunt for fresh ideas and new voices. Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to Franklin Leonard, creator of The Black List, the legendary annual compendium of the industry's hottest unproduced screenplays and pilots, about how this is the time to pitch your big idea.  Also, with theaters closed and travel halted, what happens to the sprawling blockbusters that have been propping up the film industry? How are audience tastes changing in the midst of this crisis? And does Amazon's recent partnership with SXSW mean the end of film festivals as we know it?

Former CNN anchor turned media critic Soledad O'Brien has become the conscience of media, an unwavering (and unrelenting) critic of the failures of journalists and outlets overwhelmed by the Trump misinformation machine. On this episode of Hazmat Hotel, she sounds off on why cable news is blowing it (again). With trademark candor and unsparing bite, she explains why reporters are insinuating themselves into their coverage at the expense of their credibility; why media should preempt live coverage of White House press briefings, even as millions of Americans tune in to them; and what cable news gimmicks have become the "first person essays" of the media world. What will media will look like in a post-Trump world? Soledad has a few ideas. #coronavirus #covid19 #media #WhiteHouse #WhiteHouseCorrespondents #pressbriefings #Trump #journalism #cablenews

Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to Tony-nominated director Sheryl Kaller (Bliss, Mothers and Sons, Next Fall) about the fallout from coronavirus on the theater world, both in New York and the rest of the country. When will the curtains rise again—and will the tourists return when Broadway does? Can Zoom ever approximate a live theater experience? If the NBA and other leagues resume their seasons minus the fans, can Broadway do the same? What long-term impact will this crisis have on an industry already operating on the thinnest of margins? A frank talk with one of the community's most vocal advocates. #coronavirus #covid19 #broadway #theater #TonyAwards #liveentertainment #actorsequity

Hazmat Hotel host Lea Goldman talks to bioethicist Beth Roxland, the former Executive Director of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law, which was responsible for the state's much-discussed Ventilator Allocation Guidelines. Roxland unpacks the guidelines, how they came to be and what they actually entail. As Covid-19 ravages New York, how do doctors and hospitals decide who comes first when the state's most in-demand resource becomes scarce? And is it fair to prioritize certain segments of the population—the young, parents, first responders—in a catastrophe? #coronavirus #covid19 #ventilators #bioethics #Cuomo #NewYork

Hazmat Hotel welcomes family lawyer Jacqueline Harounian to talk about the legal issues families needs to consider in the wake of Covid-`19: Is it ok to change your custody agreement? What if I need an order of protection and the courts are closed? Who needs a will--and is it too late to get one after being hospitalized? How do I advocate for a patient when I'm not allowed in the hospital? Is it really true that divorces will rise post-coronavirus? Jackie's got the answers. #coronavirus #divorce #custody #estateplanning #covid19 #healthcareproxy #DNR #familylaw