Podcast appearances and mentions of harry siegel

Host Ben Max is joined by FAQ NYC podcast co-hosts Harry Siegel and Christina Greer to break down the Knicks' historic comeback win in game 4 of the NBA Finals and 3-1 series lead, putting the team and city one win away from the Knicks' first championship since 1973. (Ep 591)

Bex Max joins Christina Greer and Harry Siegel for a FAQ NYC-Max Politics crossover just after game four to put down politics for once and talk about the Knicks' incredible comeback and a city that's dizzy with excitement and overdue for a celebration. .

The New York Knickerbockers will come into Madison Square Garden Monday night for the first NBA finals game at Madison Square Garden this millennium having last lost a basketball game 46 days ago. That's roughly four times as long as peak Lin-sanity and full four Scaramuccis. Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel talk about the city's blue and orange tinged euphoria, the orange man who's attending game three and much more, starting with Mayor Zohran Mamdani's effort to tap into the city's basketball excitement while spending some of his political capital on behalf of his slate of Congressional candidates challenging the Democratic establishment.

Gwynne Hogan joins FAQ NYC to discuss The City Reporter's big investigation of months of street arrests in and around New York City,and her coverage of the violent scenes playing out now outside of where many of those immigrants are detained at Newark's Delaney Hall: Plus, hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel dig into the news from another jam-packed summer week in New York City including the strange political bedfellows in a wild race in Harlem, the afterlife of Eric Adams' zombie city charter commission and much more.

Hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss the suddenly unstoppable Knicks, the indefatigable mayor's efforts to tap into the city's surge of sports energy, a rainy start to what could be a long, hot summer, and much more.

Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel join guest Jeff Coltin to look ahead to summer in the city, consider the state of political goss in this town, the strangest Congressional race playing out in Manhattan and much more.

Will New York State ever pass the budget that was due more than a month ago? And how is New York City supposed to work out its own budget, which it's legally required to balance and pass by the end of June, without knowing how much money the state is providing? Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel dig into that and much more, including a grim projection about New York City's shrinking public school system.

FAQ NYC hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel visited the Greene Space in Soho on Thursday night for a sold-out live recording, hosted by ABNY, talking about Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first 100 days. “I would give him a B,” said Chrissy. “I'm a harsh grader, so I think that's a solid grade. We're seeing someone grow in real time. We are out of the campaign phase and deeply into the governance phase, and there are a lot of ways that Mamdani was naive in campaigning. If these things were so simple, people would have done them before.”

Zohran Mamdani has been Hizzoner for just 88 days, and he's already navigating the “poisoned chalice” of a big budget deficit he inherited while the credit agencies that could make it much more expensive for the city to borrow money are taking an increasingly dim view of its finances on his watch. Hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more, including the mayor's different responses to two high-profile terror attempts, on the latest episode of the FAQ NYC podcast.

One more storm, many more mountains of snow for winter-weary New Yorkers to slog through and a second chance for Zohran Mamdani to show he's up to his endless blizzard of a job. FAQ NYC hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel dig into all that and more, including Mamdani's dubious threat to raise property taxes in the city if Albany doesn't hike taxes on the rich and what that shows about who's missing from his inner circle.

The new mayor appeared to clear the bar with the city's response to the first big snow on his watch. Meanwhile, his predecessor's people were in the news again as Adams' former chief of staff is reportedly the subject of a federal grand jury while his favorite deputy mayor for public safety is taking a new job working for ICE in Long Island. Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more including what the ICE killings in Minneapolis mean for New York, and how Italian-Irish tensions in the Catholic church helped create a Sabrina Carpenter-Eric Adams crossover episode. Noah Smith engineered this episode.

Arthur Tress, whose newly published photographs of gay men in Central Park's Ramble in 1968 and 1969 are the earliest shots of outdoor cruising in a natural setting, joins Harry Siegel and Alex Krales on Lit NYC to discuss his work in a New York City where homosexuality was still a taboo and a crime, why he's publishing it now, and much more. This episode was engineered by Noah Smith, and produced by Harry, Alex and Amy Sohn.

Eric Adams said we'd miss him when he's gone as mayor, but he's still popping up — hawking an NYC cryptocoin in Times Square and taking potshots at his replacement when he isn't jet-setting or lashing out at an airport heckler. The hosts discuss that and much more, including Zohran Mamdani's push after winning his own race to elect more socialists and the Democrats who aren't happy about it. This episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, and Harry Siegel, who's also the FAQ NYC podcast network's executive producer. It was engineerred by Noah Smith.

In this episode of The Karol Markowicz Show, Karol Markowicz sits down with journalist and lifelong Brooklynite Harry Siegel for a wide-ranging conversation about media, politics, and generational influence. The discussion opens with their shared New York roots and accents before diving into Harry’s upbringing and the lasting impact of his father, Fred Siegel, a prominent figure in New York’s political and academic world. Harry reflects on his early skepticism about following a career in journalism, how his father’s perspective shaped his worldview, and what ultimately drew him into the profession. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from his time at The New York Sun and offers candid insights into the challenges facing journalism in a rapidly changing media environment. The conversation also explores the importance of staying engaged with the real world amid technological disruption, along with thoughtful reflections on parenting, generational knowledge, and preparing the next generation for uncertainty. Follow Harry on XSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not even two weeks into the big job, Zohran Mamdani and his team are up and running — yet still struggling to get their footing. Hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel dig into that and much more, including the new mayor's responses to pro-Hamas chants in Queens, and to two fatal police shootings in the same day. This episode was engineered by Noah Smith.

An iconic restaurant in Fulton Mall became an Arby's, before it was revived amid the pandemic. St. John Frizell, one of the stewards of Gage and Tollner joins Lit NYC hosts Amy Sohn and Harry Siegel to talk about the craft of the cocktail, the business of Brooklyn, the nature of the great good place, and much more. This episode was produced by Amy and Harry, and engineered by Noah Smith.

Way back in March of 2025, when Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani was at one percent in the Democratic primary polls, he promised THE CITY's FAQ NYC his very first sit-down interview as mayor. On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Mamdani made good on that promise, sitting down with hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel for a wide-ranging conversation that covered the ICE murder in Minneapolis and "a year of cruelty," his softening stance on abolishing the NYPD's gang database, his message to Jewish New Yorkers who haven't been convinced by his messaging so far, and much more. This episode was engineered by Giulia Hjort.

Brian Lehrer hosts special coverage of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inaugural speech, with analysis from Dr. Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC and the author of How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams (Cambridge University Press, 2024), and Harry Siegel, FAQ NYC co-host, editor at The City and Moynihan Public Scholar at City College. Plus, listeners call in to share their hopes and concerns for the future of NYC. Click here to watch the full event, including the inaugurations NYC Comptroller Mark Levine, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, as well as musical performances, poetry readings and other speeches.

As the mayor elect races to get ready for a big show and the big job, Eric Adams has been awfully busy in his final few days in office. Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss all that and much more — including then longshot Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani's public promise way back when to give our podcast his first interview as mayor. This episode was engineered by Noah Smith.

In 1980, a movie narrated by a sociologist once described as Jimmy Stewart's urban planner cousin, and full of surveillance footage of the city's public spaces, delivered perhaps the richest and wisest look ever made at how New Yorkers use the city's public spaces. Municipal Art Society president Keri Butler joins LIT NYC hosts Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn to discuss William H. Whyte's brilliant The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, which of his zen koans about those spaces have stood the test of time in a technologically transformed world, and much more. This episode was produced by Amy Sohn, and engineered by Noah Smith.

Zohran Mamdani has promised to have 1 percent of the city budget go to the Parks Department — but so did Eric Adams, who never came close to delivering. Three experts and advocates discuss all that and more with host Katie Honan. Plus, Katie and Harry Siegel talk about all the latest developments from another wild week, and with just over a week to go before a new adminsitration takes power.

“In my quest to be more American than Americans, I wanted to know more than American music [and in 1972] I was staying with a great fiddle player and banjo player in North Carolina named Tommy Jarrell and he was puzzled, because a lot of the people who had come from up north to study with him were Jews and Italians — people for whom this was not their continuity. Tommy was a very inquisitive guy and at one point he asked me, ‘Hank, don't your people got none of your own music?'… That sent me scuttling back to Brooklyn to begin the same kind of research that I had done for hillbilly music.” Henry H. Sapoznik, the author of the Tourist's Guide To Lost Yiddish New York City and a Grammy-nominated musician and producer, sits down with Lit Nyc hosts Harry Siegel and and Amy Sohn for a wide-ranging conversation about assimilation and adaptability, the difference between faux music and folk music, the overlaps between kosher, halal and Chinese foods, and much more. This episode was produced by Amy Sohn and Noah Smith, and engineered by Noah Smith.

Amid the silly season of transition speculation, New Yorkers are waiting to see how Zohran Mamdani, a brilliant messenger, handles the levers of power and who else he's bringing inside of City Hall to help him run the huge machine. While those staffing decisions are playing out, slowly and behind closed doors, the outgoing administration is taking some swipes at Mamdani, including about the mayor elect's pledge to end homeless encampment sweeps. Episode hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel, and engineered by Noah Smith.

“I bought myself an electric bike to take my kids to the beach and started charging it outside after seeing stats on how many battery fires there were. I looked at other countries that are doing battery-swap networks and  I said, ‘We should do this in New York… My plan, if I can be this ambitious, is to build a city-wide battery-swap network everybody can use." Ineffable and inimitable gadfly and entrepreneur Baruch Herzfeld joins LIT NYC hosts Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn to talk about schemes and dreams, the thousand-dollar bet he lost to  a Fugee but hasn't paid, the guys who climbed telephone poles when Williamsburg was wild, and much more. This episode was produced by Amy Sohn, and engineered by Noah Smith.

It turns out that the count of our mayors has been off by one, dating back to when the city had a population of just 2,500 — meaning the mayor-elect will be New York's 112th mayor, though still the 111th person to serve. FAQ NYC hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss that breaking 17th Century news, as reported by Eliabeth Kim at Gothamist, and much more, including Julie Menin's early Speaker win and the World Trade Center-related death this week of a retired deputy chief who lost a son on 9/11. This episode was engineered by Noah Smith.

Harry Siegel — an editor at The City, co-host of FAQ NYC, and Moynihan Fellow at City College — joined the show to discuss the agreement between Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch for her to remain in that position in the new administration. Siegel and host Ben Max discuss how this decision came to be, specific areas of policing that they must navigate, potential pitfalls, how it coincides with Mamdani's planned Department of Community Safety, and more. (Ep 549)

Is anyone in this town not running for Congress? Is it time for Democrats to finally usher an older generation out of Washington, and is there a way to build a party whose representatives are better distributed in terms of age, identity and geographic distribution? Is it time to finally feel hopeful about New York City's future? All that and more gets mulled over by hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel. This episode was engineered by Noah Smith.

With the mayor's race decided and 2026 election moves just beginning, the FAQ NYC hosts talk about the Council Speaker's race that drew lots of attention at Somos, where Gov. Kathy Hochul got hit with another chant of "tax the rich!" There are only 51 votes that count in a closed-door campaign where the narrative question is whether the Council wants to speed up, or slow down, a Mayor Mamdani and his agenda next year. It's a contest that he's yet to publicly weigh in on. The practical question, though, is simply which candidate in a race — where the frontrunners appear to be Crystal Hudson and Julie Menin — can get enough votes to claim the big prize, and the nice office. This episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel, and engineered by Noah Smith.

In our final episode, we talk about the future of New York City under Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani and who he will surround himself with to help him accomplish his vision. We're also joined by Patrick Gaspard, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, former key Obama aide and now key advisor to Mamdani, to talk about this historic moment. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In our final episode, we talk about the future of New York City under Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani and who he will surround himself with to help him accomplish his vision. We're also joined by Patrick Gaspard, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, former key Obama aide and now key advisor to Mamdani, to talk about this historic moment. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

Ben Fractenberg, visuals editor for THE CITY, joins LIT NYC hosts Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn for a wide-ranging conversation about street photography, photo journalism and much more.The interview comes just before the opening reception for Ben's solo show, In Tension, this Friday evening from 6-9 at Gallery 198, at 198 24th St. in Brooklyn, with his work then on display there through November.

The Election Night results are in: Zohran Mamdani will be New York City's 111th Mayor. Our hosts react to Mamdani's big win over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, with over 1 million votes out of more than 2 million cast, and discuss his rousing, defiant victory speech and what comes next. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

The Election Night results are in: Zohran Mamdani will be New York City's 111th Mayor. Our hosts react to Mamdani's big win over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, with over 1 million votes out of more than 2 million cast, and discuss his rousing, defiant victory speech and what comes next. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

Alex Brook Lynn, FAQ NYC's original executive producer, rejoins the podcast to talk with Harry Siegel about New York City's election, and how and why Paris — which has all the same big urban issues — has taken a different approach to providing things like affordable housing for working class people, childcare, and more.

In episode six, we're focusing on affordability, housing and the related ballot proposals. We're joined by housing experts Jamie Rubin (Chief Investment Officer of Aligned Climate Capital & Chairman of the Board of NYCHA) and Alicia Glen (Founder and Managing Principle of M Squared & former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development), who share their thoughts on what the next Mayor should accomplish – and how. Remember: early voting is in full swing. Visit vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC to find your early and election day polling sites — they may be different — and see what will be on your ballot. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In episode six, we're focusing on affordability, housing and the related ballot proposals. We're joined by housing experts Jamie Rubin (Chief Investment Officer of Aligned Climate Capital & Chairman of the Board of NYCHA) and Alicia Glen (Founder and Managing Principle of M Squared & former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development), who share their thoughts on what the next Mayor should accomplish – and how. Remember: early voting is in full swing. Visit vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC to find your early and election day polling sites — they may be different — and see what will be on your ballot. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In episode five, we debrief the first mayoral debate and preview the second one as Andrew Cuomo struggles to gain ground against frontrunner Zohran Mamdani with wild card Curtis Sliwa also in the mix. Plus, two-time former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton joins to explain why he wouldn't advise Jessica Tisch, or anyone else, to run the NYPD on Mamdani's watch. Remember: early voting begins on Saturday. Visit vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC to find your early and election day polling sites — they may be different — and see what will be on your ballot. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In episode five, we debrief the first mayoral debate and preview the second one as Andrew Cuomo struggles to gain ground against frontrunner Zohran Mamdani with wild card Curtis Sliwa also in the mix. Plus, two-time former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton joins to explain why he wouldn't advise Jessica Tisch, or anyone else, to run the NYPD on Mamdani's watch. Remember: early voting begins on Saturday. Visit vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC to find your early and election day polling sites — they may be different — and see what will be on your ballot. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

The legendary illustrator talks with LIT NYC hosts Amy Sohn and Harry Siegel about what he wants to illustrate now that he no longer needs to take assignments, how New York City shaped his work, why he thinks being called "the Vermeer of the Borscht Belt" is a misnomer, and much more.

Zohran Mamdani, the young, telegenic, democratic socialist state assemblyman, looks set to be New York City's next mayor. So how are New Yorkers feeling about turning the keys over to him? We asked some of his supporters and detractors. Harry Siegel, senior editor at The City, returns to the show to give his two cents on one of the wilder New York City races in recent memory. show notes: Get free shipping and 365 day returns from Quince at https://Quince.com/THEFOCUSGROUP. Get 30% off your first order with Soul at https://GetSoul.com with promo code THEFOCUSGROUP. By Harry Siegel:  FAQ NYC Podcast

In our fourth episode, we discuss the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James, how the mayoral candidates are reacting, and how the next mayor could influence President Trump's approach to the city. Then, DSA-backed City Council Member Alexa Avilés of Brooklyn, chair of the Council immigration committee, joins us to talk about Trump's immigration crackdown, her hopes for a Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and her own potential run for Congress. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort. Rachel Lightner engineered this episode. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In our fourth episode, we discuss the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James, how the mayoral candidates are reacting, and how the next mayor could influence President Trump's approach to the city. Then, DSA-backed City Council Member Alexa Avilés of Brooklyn, chair of the Council immigration committee, joins us to talk about Trump's immigration crackdown, her hopes for a Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and her own potential run for Congress. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort. Rachel Lightner engineered this episode. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound. (Ep 534)

In episode three, we talk about the massive infrastructure cuts trickling down from the federal government – one of the many developments that have us holding our breath for what's to come in our city. We're also joined by ‘Gridlock' Sam Schwartz, who gives us the lowdown on the past, present and future of transit in New York. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In episode three, we talk about the massive infrastructure cuts trickling down from the federal government – one of the many developments that have us holding our breath for what's to come in our city. We're also joined by ‘Gridlock' Sam Schwartz, who gives us the lowdown on the past, present and future of transit in New York. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

On this last show, your favorite psychologists, John Gartner and Harry Segal, review Trump's bizarre speech in Quantico while explaining their decision to end the series. They are joined by Really American's Justin Horwitz, as well as two very good friends of the show, Laurie Winer (author and theatre critic) and Ahmed Babba, political commentator (ahmedbaba.news). Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Our site Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Amazon Music Subscribe on iHeartRadio This feels like the last page in a long, intense book we never wanted to end, and here we are: Shrinking Trump has reached its final chapter. Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel sit together one last time, looking back on more than seventy episodes spent untangling the psychological knots in Donald Trump's presidency. What began as a clinical exercise soon revealed itself as an urgent civic project—mapping the anatomy of malignant narcissism, tracing the reckless impulses that drove one man to breach institutions again and again, and warning listeners that unchecked power corrodes the very heart of democracy.   Throughout this journey, Gartner and Siegel watched what started as performative chaos harden into a systematic assault on norms. They watched pathological lying give cover to authoritarian ambitions, charisma morph into control, and theatrical stunt after stunt erode the barriers meant to protect free speech and rule of law. They sat with experts like Dr. Vince Greenwood to peer under the hood of psychopathy, describing how impulsivity and a lack of remorse propel bold grabs for power—and leave gaping vulnerabilities in their wake. They examined the bitter aftershocks of tragedies manipulated for political gain, from the exploitation of Charlie Kirk's assassination to the steady drip of fear tactics aimed at silencing dissent.   They chronicled the stealthy rise of a media empire built on consolidation and influence, where once-independent newsrooms bent beneath the weight of billionaire agendas. They warned that as echo chambers spread and fact-based reporting shrank, the story of our country risked being rewritten by those who profit from confusion. Every week, Shrinking Trump gave listeners a pair of psychological glasses through which to see behind the spectacle: each emergency proclamation, each incendiary tweet, each courtroom drama wasn't just a headline—it was a symptom.   In this final conversation, Gartner and Siegel remind us that naming these symptoms remains our best defense against manipulation. Recognizing cognitive warning signs isn't armchair diagnosis; it's an act of democratic self-defense. They urge us to stay critical of the media we consume, to question the narratives packaged as truth, and to refuse the numbing allure of constant crisis. Even as they close this chapter, they make it clear that the work continues—because authoritarian tactics do not retire with a single series finale.   So let this be more than a goodbye. Let it be a call to carry forward every insight and warning, to keep alive the conversations that protect our shared values. Shrinking Trump may be signing off, but the fight for a better America goes on. Thank you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. In our second episode, the hosts debrief about Mayor Eric Adams' decision to drop his re-election bid. New York Attorney General Letitia James also joins us to talk about the cases she and Donald Trump have brought against one another, and her support of Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

"The tabs were this incredibly paradoxical force in New York during these years. On the one hand, they were totally polarizing, turning the world into into heroes and villains, good guys and bad guys — like comic books for adults. On the other hand, everyone is reading the Post and the News and Newsday, and they were unifying all of New York around these storylines." Jonathan Mahler joins LIT NYC hosts Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn to discuss his new "The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990."

FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming at you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. In our debut episode, Public Advocate Jumanne Williams joins us to talk about his arrest outside of 26 Federal Plaza, what the mayor and other elected officials can and should be doing in response to President Trump's threats, and why Williams thinks it's time for New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs to step down. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin, Vital City, the Charles H. Revson Foundation and P&T Knitwear. This week's episode was hosted by Harry Siegel, Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Ben Max. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

Laurie Gwen Shapiro, the author of "The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon," joins Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn to dig into what they don't tell you in the children's books about the life and death of the world's most famous female flier.

Harry Siegel joins to break down the chaotic New York mayoral race, where Zohran Mamdani looks like the presumptive next mayor but hasn't been fully tested. Siegel warns that old tweets, rent-stabilized housing, and city-run grocery promises could become liabilities once federal pressure mounts. Plus, Trump's trade war bets on an eight-to-eleven-year payoff, a timeline that outlasts his legal term limit and raises questions about intent. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIST INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Gist List at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pesca⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠