The Brian Lehrer Show

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Hua Hsu, New Yorker staff writer, professor of English at Bard College and author of the memoir Stay True (September 2022), discusses what college students lose when ChatGPT writes their essays for them and what that says about our evolving understanding of the purpose of higher education.Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on the deal struck between Big Tech and The American Federation of Teachers which offers artificial intelligence training and software to teachers in New York City public schools.Peniel Joseph, professor of history and public affairs and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution (Basic Books, 2025), talks about his new book, an examination of the impact of events in 1963 on the struggle for civil rights -- from MLK's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to the assassination of JFK.From our centennial series, Bob van der Linden, commercial aviation curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, looks at the past 100 years of civilian air travel.Listeners share the best, maybe even most surprising, times they've been helped or helped others, inspired by an article for The Atlantic titled "A Wedding Reveals How Much Help Is Really Available to You," by Julie Beck. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:What Students Lose When ChatGPT Writes Their Essays (July 8, 2025)NYC Teachers' Union Embraces AI (July 28, 2025)How 1963 Defined the Civil Rights Movement (June 12, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Commercial Aviation (May 6, 2025)How Helping Can Feel Good (July 9, 2025)

With Labor Day around the corner, the end of summer is near. Listeners share what they've checked off their summer bucket list and the last few activities they'll take part in this weekend.

Nick Miroff, staff writer for The Atlantic who covers immigration and the Department of Homeland Security, talks about the changes at the immigration enforcement agency and how the $75 billion budget bump will be spent.=> "Fast Times at Immigration and Customs Enforcement" (The Atlantic, August 26, 2025)

Allie Volpe, correspondent at Vox, talks about her attempt to discover if we really are getting ruder to each other or if something else is going on.→ Are we in a crisis of rudeness?

The Hoboken PATH station shut-down this weekend is just the latest challenge for PATH riders in what's been called its "Summer of Hell."  Larry Higgs, the transportation and commuting reporter at NJ.com and the Star-Ledger, shares options for the weekend and talks about the larger transit issues facing New Jersey commuters.

Inspired by a report that the MTA's lost and found isn't working as well as expected, listeners call in with their stories of things they've lost and later found.

Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC, talks about the latest news in the mayoral campaign including her experience covering mayor Eric Adams after receiving cash in a bag of chips from a former staffer, the culture of "toxic masculinity" amongst the candidates, and Zohran Mamdani's scavenger hunt.

In an executive order on Monday, President Donald Trump directed each state's National Guard to be prepared to respond to civil disturbances. Dan Lamothe, U.S. military and Pentagon reporter at The Washington Post, breaks down the latest news and what this might mean for cities like Chicago and New York City.

Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, talks about the news that the NYC DOT approved a pilot program to test Waymo's driverless cars in the city.

Ileana Najarro, reporter for Education Week covering race and opportunity in U.S. schools, and Kate Menken, professor of linguistics and a research fellow at the Research Institute for the Study of Language in an Urban Society at Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY) and co-editor in chief of the journal Language Policy, discuss the news that the Trump administration has rescinded a 2015 directive standards for English Language Learners in U.S. schools.

Nostalgia for the late '90s and early 2000s is roaringly popular among Gen Z right now. Listeners call in with stories of life before the internet and what it is about that era that younger listeners wish for today, and we hear from Clay Routledge, social psychologist, director of the Human Flourishing Lab at Archbridge Institute and author of Past Forward: How Nostalgia Can Help You Live a More Meaningful Life (Sounds True, 2023).=>"Why Gen Z Is Resurrecting the 1990s" (NYT Opinion, 8/24/25)

Two gas pipelines in New York are suddenly back on the table following a revival of talks between President Donald Trump and Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year. Liz Krueger, New York State Senator (D, WF - 28th, Manhattan's East Side) and chair of the Finance Committee, and Rich Schrader, New York government affairs director of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), talk about what's at stake for the environment if the projects, known as The Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline and the Constitution pipeline, get the green light from the Governor.

Lydia DePillis, New York Times reporter covering the American economy and Shawn Donnan, Bloomberg News senior writer, talk about the latest economic and tariff news, including U.S. investment in Intel, other deals involving foreign investment in U.S. businesses, and the Federal Reserve.

Inspired by a Business Insider report on Microsoft employees sharing salaries with each other on a massive internal spreadsheet, listeners share their most shocking pay transparency revelations from their workplaces. 

In recent years, youth sports have quietly morphed from free community gatherings into a big business, with private leagues and one-on-one trainers capitalizing on a growing impulse to frame a child's athleticism as a ticket to their future. Vox senior correspondent Anna North discusses her article on the subject, headlined "The hidden forces ruining youth sports." Plus, the latest on RFK Jr.'s feud with the American Academy of Pediatrics over Covid vaccination guidelines for kids.

Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter, talks about national politics, including Democratic messaging strategies, like California Gov. Newsom's efforts to 'troll' Trump on social media.

Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist and WNYC transportation reporter, talks about the latest on the MTA's plans to extend the Q to 125th Street.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.How President Trump is Bigfooting Big Business  (First) | The Future of Using AI for Therapy (Starts at 27 :30) | Your Late-Summer Weekend Plans (Starts at 52:00)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

The independent Commission on Racial Equity filed a lawsuit against the City over the delays in releasing the racial equity plan, as required by the City Charter. Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and co-chair of National True Cost of Living Coalition, and Darrick Hamilton professor of economics and urban policy and founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, who served on the commission that helped establish the process, discuss the delay and the state of racial equity in NYC today.

As summer winds down, listeners call in to share how they're spending the weekend and offer recommendations for affordable 'daycations' nearby that don't require a plane ticket.

Zach Moller, director of the economic program at Third Way, talks about different policy approaches to helping workers without college degrees find economic stability and prosperity.

In July, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced it had issued subpoenas to medical providers that had provided gender-affirming care to minors. Washington Post reporter Casey Parks discusses one of those subpoenas, which was newly made public, and what it means for transgender healthcare.

Jared Moore, AI researcher and PhD candidate at Stanford University's Department of Computer Science, talks about the risks of using mass-market LLMs like ChatGPT for therapy and the broader trend of AI users forming parasocial relationships with chatbots 

Inspired by a recent article in TIME Magazine, listeners share their tips for helping loved ones recover from heartbreak, as well as unhelpful words they've received during their own breakups. 

Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC, talks about her recent involvement in a story involving a wad of cash handed to her in an empty bag of potato chips by an ally of Mayor Adams. 

As the Trump administration conducts a review of the content in the Smithsonian museums, the president wrote on social media earlier this week that the Smithsonian Institution was too focused on the horrors of slavery. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University, a CNN Presidential Historian, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, talks about what could be lost if the administration is able to censor what is presented to museumgoers. 

The final-round to secure a highly lucrative casino license in New York City is underway, with a winner chosen by year's end. Arun Venugopal, senior reporter for WNYC's race & justice unit, explains the stakes and why some community members are pushing back on a casino within city limits.

Students, and their parents, share their thoughts on the start of this academic year.

Beaches along the East Coast are closing this week due to dangerous surf and rip currents brought on by Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic. Greg Dusek, Ph.D., senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, talks about the storm's path and offers survival tips for rip currents ahead of the storm's impact. 

Jeffrey Wice, adjunct professor and senior fellow at New York Law School where he directs the New York Census and Redistricting Institute, talks about the plans for mid-cycle redistricting for partisan advantage kicked off by Texas, the rules in different states and the impact of redistricting on 2026 midterm races.

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Jeff Coltin, Politico reporter and co-author of the New York Playbook, talk about the latest news in the mayoral campaign, including Andrew Cuomo's comments regarding President Trump at a Hamptons fundraiser, the Adams administration's response to the Legionnaires' outbreak and more.

Media outlets are paring down their staff of arts critics. Listeners call in to share if they still do rely on the opinion of critics, and if not, where they find out about movies, music and theater.

Julia Ioffe, founding partner and Washington correspondent of Puck, a new media company, offers analysis of how Zelensky's meeting with President Trump went, plus discusses her reporting on how the MAGA world views Israel, and how that could affect US policy toward Israel's war in Gaza.

Charles Stile, political columnist at The Record/northjersey.com, talks about the latest news regarding New Jersey's governor's race between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill.

Michael J. Coren, "Climate Coach" advice columnist for The Washington Post, discusses his latest column on how plastic "turf" is causing uproar amongst athletes and climate activists.

Listeners call in to share their tips for how to be a good house guest; and listeners who frequently host guests at their houses share what they appreciate from their guests.

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on how the story of Peanut the squirrel has upended the work of New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as how the Democratic nominee for mayor, Zohran Mamdani, could work with state lawmakers if he is the city's next mayor.

William Cohan, co-founder of Puck News and author of many books, including Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon (Penguin Random House, 2022) , talks about the many ways President Trump is interfering in big U.S. businesses, and why Wall Street is worried he'll come after big banks the way he did big law firms and elite universities.

Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of the forthcoming book The Queen and Her Presidents (Harper/Collins April 2026), talks about the latest national political news, including the aftermath of President Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Squalid Conditions at ICE's Manhattan Facility (First) | Selling Eternal Life (Starts at 31:50) | The Politics of Jerry Garcia (Starts at 1:00:35)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI (Macmillan, 2025), talks about his new book that traces the roots of criticism of today's global capitalism to its beginnings.From our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Eric Dean Wilson, Queens College writing instructor and the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort (Simon & Schuster, 2021), walks us through the promise of air conditioning of the past 100 years -- how it relieved people of warming temperatures and how they have eventually contributed to climate change.Black lung had largely been eradicated by the end of the last century. Now, the disease has reemerged in coal country, and federal cuts threaten at-risk miners. Kate Morgan, Pennsylvania-based freelance journalist, talks about her reporting on black lung for the New York Times.Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the podcast, Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal, and author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America (The New Press, 2025) talks about the ten laws he calls a "Bill of Wrongs" - like felony murder and immunity for gun manufacturers. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:The Long History of Critiquing Capitalism (May 12, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Air Conditioners (Jul 24, 2024)How Black Lung Reemerged (Jun 24, 2025)Elie Mystal's List of Laws that Need to Go (Mar 27, 2025)  

This month marks 30 years since the passing of Jerry Garcia, the iconic frontman for the Grateful Dead. Jim Newton, editor of Blueprint magazine at UCLA, where he teaches communication studies and public policy, and author of Here Beside the Rising Tide: Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, and an American Awakening (Random House, 2025), joins to discuss the artist's legacy and his politics of "living freely."

Jonathan Lemire, co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC; writer for MSNBC and contributing writer to The Atlantic, talks about Friday's meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Rachel Booth, Vox policy correspondent, talks about her recent Vox article on the need to expand the applicant pool for child care to more men to solve the worker shortage.