Podcasts about Kurt Andersen

In this week's Hollywood Stories, Richard Rushfield sits down with TV comedy legend Nell Scovell — creator of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and writer for everything from The Simpsons to Late Night with David Letterman.Before breaking into TV, Scovell sharpened her voice at Spy and Vanity Fair, where editors Kurt Andersen and Graydon Carter taught her to “be funnier, go harder, be meaner.” She shares how she defied her agent to leave Vanity Fair and dive into the boys' club of TV writers rooms, a dynamic she was still battling decades later — even on The Muppets in the 2010s.She also opens up about her sharp, hilarious memoir Just the Funny Parts, which she jokes she really wanted to title, “Penis, Penis, Penis, Penis, Me, Penis.” (Scovell: "It would have sold more.") Richard calls it “one of the best memoirs of working in television I've ever read.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee sit down with the man who gave Donald Trump the insult which has got under his skin for decades: "Short-fingered vulgarian." Kurt Andersen, who edited Spy magazine in the 80s, dishes on how he went toe-to-toe with Trump when he was just a property developer—and skewered the millionaire's son from Queens every time. Andersen spills his theory of why Trump married Melania and reveals why the president couldn't bully Canada's new leader, Mark Carney, in the Oval Office. And Met Gala guest-turned-skeptic Joanna gives her thoughts on the celebrity night while Sam reveals what icon she has embroidered into her underwear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evil Geniuses author Kurt Andersen examines Trump crossing new lines of lawlessness.Documentarian Alex Gibney details his latest documentary, The Dark Money Game, which explores the money that influences our politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire by Kurt Andersen (2017) vs Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges (2009)

Tonight on The Last Word: The New York Times reports Elon Musk berated Cabinet secretaries for not firing enough civil service workers. Also, Democrats fiercely criticize Donald Trump for caving to Vladimir Putin. Plus, Trump's Treasury Secretary downplays the stock market drop. And Elon Musk is spending millions to try and flip the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Kurt Andersen, Rep. Adam Smith, Robert Reich, and Ben Wikler join Ali Velshi.

The President fires Joint Chiefs Chairman General CQ Brown amid a shakeup of top Pentagon brass. Then, a federal judge allows the administration to put thousands of USAID workers on leave, essentially dismantling the agency. Plus, Trump's overt pro-Putin foreign policy. And, find out who made this week's MVPs. Kurt Andersen, Jason Johnson, John Della Volpe, and Jon Allen join The 11th Hour this Friday. 

We’re picking up the pieces of our country in the age of Trump, Part II. Is the USA still here? Is it still us? Kurt Andersen. Cue Kurt Andersen, with his finger in the wind. ...

Toxic and Problematic with Kurt Andersen, 01.25.25 full 3199 Sat, 25 Jan 2025 16:00:00 +0000 vnKFF0mM7vJlY73932UtaM6cHWdYyLQv comedy Church of Lazlo Podcasts comedy Toxic and Problematic with Kurt Andersen, 01.25.25 Church of Lazlo Podcasts       2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. Comedy False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?fee

Evil Geniuses author Kurt Andersen provides a historical perspective on how Pat Buchanan paved the way for today's Trump. When the Clock Broke author John Ganz examines the path that led to our current political moment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John is joined by writer/editor/producers Kurt Andersen and Michael Hirschorn—longtime friends, former business partners, and intellectual entrepreneurs extraordinaire—to take stock of the Trump Era in our politics and culture. The three old friends discuss the once and future president's reelection, his cabinet picks (one of whom, Kurt reveals, was his college cocaine dealer), and the ways in which the spread of the logic and reality TV not only explains the Trump phenomenon but that of Elon Musk, RFK Jr, and Luigi Mangione. Kurt and Michael also riff on the books, movies, and TV shows that floated their boats this year, from Wicked and Somebody Somewhere to Kendrick Lamar's GNX. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kurt Andersen examines the plotting, or lack thereof, in the upcoming Trump administration. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, reacts to Trump's attacks on America's education system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Friday, October 4th, and reports on the 2024 election. Plus, Bill de Blasio joins for a Fallback Friday segment. Kurt Andersen, Chai Komanduri, and Amanda Carpenter also join.

Original Air Date: 10/16/2018 Today we take a look at the distant and recent history of conservatism in America and beyond and follow the steps that have led to their rejection of science at a moment in history when it has never been more critical to heed the warnings of scientists Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Corey Robin on the right from Burke to Trump - Jacobin Radio (@jacobinmag) - Air Date 12-3-17 Corey Robin on the Right from Burke to Trump. While most people on the Left fear and demonize the Right, they aren't interested in its ideas. Robin, however, takes them very seriously and analyzes their ideas for us. Ch. 2: Jonah Goldberg on Trump, Republicans and the conservative movement - Diane Rehm: On My Mind - Air Date 3-2-18 The state of the conservative movement and where it goes from here. Ch. 3: Kurt Andersen: How religion turned American politics against science - Big Think - Air Date 1-18-28 In the last 30 years, religion has radicalized American politics and seriously harmed the perception of science, says journalist and author Kurt Andersen. This can be directly tied to the rise of the Christian Right in the 20th century. Ch. 4: The fall of family values - Past/Present - Air Date 6-25-18 Explaining how we came to the end of “family values” conservatism Ch. 5: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE: FL, IN, MO, MT, ND - Help Democrats Retain These Toss-Up Battleground Senate Seats! Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 6: Jennifer Rubin on the breakdown of the GOP from a center-right perspective - The Good Fight - Air Date 2-13-18 Yascha Mounk discusses how to cover the Trump presidency; the complicity of the Republican party; and the future of the right with proud conservative and staunch Never Trumper Jennifer Rubin. Ch. 7: Chomsky on the GOP Has Any Organization Ever Been So Committed to Destruction of Life on Earth? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 04-26-17 Amy Goodman began by asking Noam Chomsky about the catastrophically destructive tendencies of the Republican Party. Ch. 8: America: The Farewell Tour (with Guest Chris Hedges) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 10-2-18 Chris Hedges on the erosion of democratic infrastructure, imperialist leanings, and the widening gap between the morbidly rich and the working class, a sign of America's farewell?   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com ​ ​

Nicolle Wallace is joined by Kurt Andersen, Tim Miller, Basil Smikle, Molly Jong-Fast, Mini Timmaraju, Charlie Sykes, Maya Wiley, Donny Deutsch, Rick Stengel, Mayor John Giles, and Olivia Troye.

THE GREATEST STARTUP IN THE HISTORY OF MAGAZINE STARTUPS—We've always had a thing for magazine launches. They're filled with drama and melodrama, people behaving with passion and conviction, and people ... misbehaving. Anything to get that first issue onto the stands and into the hands of readers.Some new ventures seem to sneak in the back door. Who saw Wired or Fast Company coming?Others are to the manner born, and from the most elite print parents. But, even with that pedigree they never gain traction, never display the scrappiness and experimentation that we've come to expect from anything new. (You know who you are).But then, one day, along comes The Greatest Startup in the History of Magazine Startups. A magazine that dares to mercilessly, and humorously, vilify high society. The one that big time journalists pretend to ignore but were first to the newsstand each month to grab their copy. The one that created packaging conceits: Separated at Birth, Private Lives of Public Enemies, Blurb-o-mat, and Naked City. Plus, the adorable nicknames — “Short-fingered vulgarian” — that persist to this day.That's right, we're talking about Spy.And in this episode we'll meet Kurt Andersen who, along with Graydon Carter and Tom Philips, founded what became an instantaneous cultural phenomenon: SPY magazine. The axis of the publishing world tilted when it hit the stands.“Spy was the most influential magazine of the 1980s,” the author Dave Eggers wrote. “It definitely changed the whole tone of magazine journalism. It was cruel, brilliant, beautifully-written and perfectly-designed — and feared by all.”There had never been anything like Spy before.Nothing since has come close. Print Is Dead (Long Live Print!) is a production of Magazeum LLC & MO.D ©2021–2024

How America Got Divorced from Reality: Christian Utopias, Anti-Elitism, Media Circus ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Since a boat of religious fanatics with buckles on their hats hit the shores near Plymouth Rock and claimed that this was their utopia, America has always been a little bit crazy. It's this kind of wide-eyed "anything can happen if you believe" mentality that, at its best, can produce incredible art. But at its worst, it can be cruel and conspiratorial. We live in a country where people refuse to believe vaccination can help you and where a White House is spinning "alternative — but Kurt Andersen is here to say that this is nothing now. At the time of the Civil War, society had become split by two sides that refused to listen to each other. Back then, the political and social divide is stoked by a hyperbolic partisan media where anyone could publish whatever they wanted in a pamphlet without fact-checking. Sound familiar? It definitely should. Kurt's latest book is appropriately titled Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire. ------------------------------------------------------- KURT ANDERSEN: Kurt Andersen, host of Studio 360 on NPR, is a journalist and the author of the novels Hey Day, Turn of the Century, The Real Thing, and his latest non-fiction book Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History. He has written and produced prime-time network television programs and pilots for NBC and ABC, and co-authored Loose Lips, an off-Broadway theatrical revue that had long runs in New York and Los Angeles. He is a regular columnist for New York Magazine, and contributes frequently to Vanity Fair. He is also a founder of Very Short List. Andersen began his career in journalism at NBC's Today program and at Time, where he was an award-winning writer on politics and criminal justice and for eight years the magazine's architecture and design critic. Returning to Time in 1993 as editor-at-large, he wrote a weekly column on culture. And from 1996 through 1999 he was a staff writer and columnist for The New Yorker. He was a co-founder of Inside.com, editorial director of Colors magazine, and editor-in-chief of both New York and Spy magazines, the latter of which he also co-founded. From 2004 through 2008 he wrote a column called "The Imperial City" for New York (one of which is included in The Best American Magazine Writing 2008). In 2008 Forbes. com named him one of The 25 Most Influential Liberals in the U.S. Media. Anderson graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College, and is a member of the boards of trustees of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Pratt Institute, and is currently Visionary in Residence at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He lives with his family in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Origin Story podcast host Ian Dunt comes by to gloat after the UK finally elects a left-wing government to clean up the mess of the past decade plus. Evil Geniuses author Kurt Andersen stops by to talk about the fun prank he played on Donald Trump and how it haunts him to this day. Author Ruth Ben-Ghiat examines the bad week fascists have had across the globe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE LAST EMPEROR—It might be difficult to remember, at least for our younger listeners, how vast the Time-Life empire was. At its height, during the John Huey dynasty of the late 1990s/early 2000s, the company published over 100 magazines.Quite a rise from its humble beginning in 1922, when Henry Luce launched Time as the country's first newsweekly. It was followed shortly by Fortune in 1930, Life in 1936, Sports Illustrated in 1954, and, finally, People in 1974. It was the largest and most prestigious magazine publisher in the world—and those five titles were the bedrock.In 2006, Huey became the sixth editor-in-chief of Time Inc., overseeing more than 3,000 journalists. In an interview with New York magazine, Huey described Time Inc as having a “public trust” and perhaps “an importance beyond profitability.” But not even a giant as powerful as Time Inc. was immune to the financial havoc brought about by the new digital age.Huey retired in 2012, the last emperor of a vastly downsized and damaged empire. “Google sort of sucked all the honey out of our business,” he lamented then. In 2017, after Time was sold to its bitter rival Meredith Corporation, Huey tweeted “RIP, Time Inc. The 95-year run is over.”Our George Gendron talked to Huey about Fortune's battles with Forbes—and their pet names for each other, about giving Graydon Carter and Kurt Andersen at Spy a taste of their own medicine, about not hiring Tina Brown, and about what his mother really thought he should've done with his life. Print Is Dead (Long Live Print!) is a production of Magazeum & MO.D ©2021–2024

A CRIME OF ATTITUDE—As George Bernard Shaw once said, “England and America are two countries separated by the same language.” Turns out it may be more than just the language.Early in my career it became clear the British were coming. The first wave arrived when I was an editor at New York magazine: Jon Bradshaw, Anthony Hayden-Guest, Julian Allen, Nik Cohn—all colorful characters who brought with them, as author Kurt Andersen said in Episode 2, “an ability to kick people in the shins that was lacking in the United States.”And kick they did. A decade later, the British trickle became a surge that appeared everywhere on the mastheads of premiere American magazines. There was Anna Wintour. And Liz Tilberis. And Harry Evans. Joanna Coles. Glenda Bailey. Andrew Sullivan. Anthea Disney. James Truman. And, of course, today's guest, Tina Brown. And the invasion continues today, with the Brits taking over our newsrooms and boardrooms. Emma Tucker at The Wall Street Journal. Will Lewis at The Washington Post. Mark Thompson at CNN. Colin Myler at the New York Daily News.But none of them made it bigger faster than Tina Brown. Si Newhouse never knew what hit him. Brown, having just turned 30, grabbed the wheel of Condé Nast's flailing 1983 relaunch of Vanity Fair and proceeded to dominate the cultural conversation for the next decade. And then? Another massive turnaround at The New Yorker. The first multimedia partnership at Talk. Nailing digital early with The Daily Beast. Then Newsweek. And, more recently, the books, the events, and the podcast. So Tina, what exactly is it with you Brits that makes your work so extraordinary? “Well, I think that the plurality of the British press means that there's a lot more experimentation and less, sort of, stuffed-shirtery going on. The English press is far more eclectic in its attitude and its high/low aesthetic, essentially. There's much less of a pompous attitude to journalism. They see it as a job. They don't see it as a sacred calling. And I think there's something to be said for that, you know? Because it's a little bit more scrappy, I think, than it is here. And I think that's served us well, actually.” So it's no surprise then to learn that there were early signs of future-Tina. Here we call it “good trouble.” Tina's got another name for it. As the story goes, teenage-Tina, blessed with a “tremendous skepticism of authority,” somehow managed to get herself kicked out of not one, not two, but three—THREE!—boarding schools. Her offenses? Nothing serious. Just what the ASME Hall-of-Famer refers to as her “crimes of attitude.”And you know, when you think about it, what is any great magazine but a crime of attitude?—This episode is made possible by our friends at MOUNTAIN GAZETTE and COMMERCIAL TYPE. Print Is Dead (Long Live Print!) is a production of MO.D ©2021–2024

We all need a good fantasy world to retreat to sometimes – whether it's Hogwarts or Middle Earth, Westeros or Wakanda. But magical thinking can be dangerous too. And escapism isn't always innocent. So where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality? Original Air Date: September 17, 2022 Interviews In This Hour: Why not escape into fantasy? A tale of Disney adults — The magical thinkers, the dreamers, and the hucksters of America's fantasyland — Neil Gaiman on where dreams — and nightmares — come from Guests: Sarah Rachul, Marianne Eloise, Kurt Andersen, Neil Gaiman Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Tonight on The Last Word: Special Counsel Jack Smith files a motion to block Donald trump's political disinformation in court. Also, Trump tries to claim he knows “nothing” about Adolf Hitler after evoking Hitler's “blood poisoning” language. Plus, the Russian economy struggles amid the Ukraine war. And Nikki Haley refuses to say slavery caused the Civil War. Andrew Weissmann, Barbara McQuade, Kurt Andersen, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, and Howell Raines join Lawrence O'Donnell.

Congratulations to everyone who pitched in to help get out the vote! This night belongs to you and all those who voted to protect abortion in Ohio, protect Virginians from a Republican majority, protect the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and much more on a great night for democracy. This week's bonus episode will look at the election results, what they mean for 2024, and what to know about Trump's shadow network, Project 25, and answer questions from listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher.   One month has passed since the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack, and the Israeli leader who allowed it to happen after empowering Hamas, ignoring several credible warnings, is still in power, overseeing a historically brutal genocide. This episode looks at the Israel-Hamas war in the context of the global war of autocracy vs. democracy, including our own 2024 election. It once again calls for the immediate removal from power of Netanyahu, an important cog in the Trump-Putin global far-right movement that normalizes human sacrifice for power. Like Trump, Netanyahu wages war against the military and intelligence services, surrounds himself with a protective moat of extremists ready to commit violence on his behalf, and terrorizes the families of victims and hostages of October 7th. Let's be clear: Netanyahu's own record shows he doesn't care about the hostages—for more on that, read the show notes. Netanyahu wants and needs this war to stay in power, which means the war strategy itself cannot be trusted and must not be legitimized.   A political solution is the only way forward and can only begin with a ceasefire. To dismiss or gaslight over the issue of a ceasefire is to give longtime corrupt criminal Netanyahu good faith and legitimacy after he's spent years trying to overturn democracy in Israel. For those distraught over the crisis in Gaza, this episode includes strategies to push the Biden foreign policy team, just as they had to be pushed on Ukraine, and makes the case for why, if we don't vote in 2024, former Interior Secretary and current House GOP Klansman Ryan Zinke, with his proposal to ban all Palestinians, is back in the White House, along with close Netanyahu co-conspirators the Kushners, and Trump, making Netanyahu even more powerful and dangerous.   To help the civilians impacted by the Israel-Hamas war, donate to Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children, incredible organizations doing urgent work in Gaza and the surrounding areas: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ https://www.savethechildren.org/   Show Notes   “We are now in a situation where one child is killed every 10 minutes [in Gaza],” Jason Lee of Save the Children https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/02/israel-stikes-gaza-children-victims/   "Israel dropped almost as many bombs in Gaza in one week as the U.S. did in Afghanistan in one year -- the heaviest year. Gaza is 141 sq miles. Afghanistan is 252,071 sq miles." https://twitter.com/ericuman/status/1721342580565184559   "The United States provides the Israeli army with military and intelligence support, and is therefore required by the Geneva Conventions to ensure that bombing raids in Gaza do not breach international law." https://twitter.com/ericuman/status/1721343100830793928   Mairav Zonszein, Senior Israel-Palestine Analyst with the Crisis Group: "It is hard to understand Israel's strategy in the West Bank as anything other than an effort to push Palestinians so far to the edge they have to burst back, which then provides pretext for Israel's continued dispossession. My explainer on settler violence" https://twitter.com/MairavZ/status/1721936764183450058   Kurt Andersen thread analyzing United Nations death toll in Gaza: https://twitter.com/KBAndersen/status/1718021027727360436   Israel's Hostage Families Feel Abandoned by Israel They feel trapped in a nightmare—and ignored by their government. https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/10/20/israels-hostage-families-abandoned-israel/   Netanyahu accused of planting allies in meeting with hostage families Relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas believe PM's allies were allowed in to rally support for decisive government action in Gaza invasion https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/16/netanyahu-accused-planting-allies-hostage-talks-invasion/   Families of Kidnapped Israelis Meet Netanyahu, Only to Find Unknown Family Boosting PM 'We need to stop this whiny behavior. We need to win the war,' said unverified relatives who appeared at the meeting between the hostages' families and the Israeli prime minister, and stirred an uproar amongst the others https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-10-16/ty-article/.premium/hostage-relatives-suspected-to-have-been-planted-in-meeting-with-pm-to-bolster-his-policy/0000018b-37af-dc99-a1db-3fefa6ed0000   ‘Our patience is up': Hostages' families blast government inaction at Tel Aviv rally Relatives of those held in Gaza say authorities aren't updating them on negotiations, urge ministers to internalize what's at stake and ‘take responsibility' https://www.timesofisrael.com/our-patience-is-up-hostages-families-blast-government-inaction-at-tel-aviv-rally/   Many Israelis are furious at their government's chaotic recovery efforts after Hamas attack https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/many-israelis-are-furious-at-their-governments-chaotic-recovery-efforts-after-hamas-attack   "My friend @maozinon parents were murdered by Hamas Oct 7th. I recorded a podcast episode with him to echo his message for a ceasefire and holding Netanyahu accountable, After the episode release, the offices where we recorded were broken into. The police is investigating." https://twitter.com/ShusterNoam/status/1721876199419621597   Netanyahu's coalition isn't built to last: Expect high sparks within and fragile prospects for Israel's incoming government https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/netanyahus-coalition-isnt-built-to-last-expect-high-sparks-within-and-fragile-prospects-for-israels-incoming-government/   Zinke Introduces Bill to Expel Palestinians from the United States https://zinke.house.gov/media/press-releases/zinke-introduces-bill-expel-palestinians-united-states   Israel's Mobileye CEO urges that Netanyahu be replaced immediately https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-mobileye-ceo-urges-that-netanyahu-be-replaced-immediately-2023-10-29/   The election that led to Hamas taking over Gaza https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/24/gaza-election-hamas-2006-palestine-israel/   Netanyahu's Coalition Must Remove Him Immediately https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/2023-10-30/ty-article-opinion/netanyahus-coalition-must-remove-him-immediately/0000018b-7cf1-d0f6-afeb-7ef5b1670000

Bestselling author, screenwriter, and founder of McSweeney's, Dave Eggers reads an excerpt from his short story, “The Museum of Rain,” and talks about the way music informs his creative process. Dave says the song Vienna wrote for the episode, “hit him like a truck,” and expresses his delight that Vienna decided to make the song a fundraiser for the non-profit 826 Valencia.Songwriter Vienna Teng makes a second appearance on SongWriter, describing how this song, and the one she wrote for an episode with Kurt Andersen, make up two-thirds of her written output over the last decade! Vienna talks about reading Dave's story out loud to her young family during the pandemic, and explores self-doubt and creativity before sharing her song, “The Riversitter (The Museum of Rain).” The song is for sale exclusively on Bandcamp, and all proceeds benefit 826 ValenciaSongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast

Thursday, August 31st, 2023   Kurt Andersen is a prolific writer and author of Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History. We discuss the conservative playbook to move our society culturally, economically, and politically to the right, and why continuous civic engagement and investment in Americans can restore basic fairness.   Influential conservatives capitalized on a wave of cultural nostalgia after the turbulent 1960s to turn the American economy into a version of extreme capitalism. Together with neoliberalism from the left, the New Deal was replaced by the raw deal. The US government has provided funding for many of the greatest inventions of the last century, like in pharmaceuticals and in technology. If the government acted like a private investor, it would have more funds to invest in communities and also to support more innovation.    Follow Kurt on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KBAndersen    Follow Mila on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/milaatmos    Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/   Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey!  http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=6tI0Zi1e78vq&ver=standard    Take the Democracy Group's Listener Survey! https://www.democracygroup.org/survey   Want to support the show and get it early?  https://patreon.com/futurehindsight    Check out the Future Hindsight website!  www.futurehindsight.com   Read the transcript here:  https://www.futurehindsight.com/episodes/americas-raw-deal-kurt-andersen      Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Kurt Andersen Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

“Command Z” is a new series from writer Kurt Andersen and director Stephen Soderbergh, released as a surprise last month and available to stream only on Soderbergh's website. The series follows three people living in a post-apocalyptic near-future, who are recruited by the digital simulacrum of a billionaire CEO played by Michael Cera, to change the events of 2023 and undo the present disaster. Soderbergh and Andersen join us to talk about the series, whose proceeds go to Children's Aid and the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. *This segment is guest-hosted by Kousha Navidar.  

Last year, author, screenwriter, and host of Studio 360 Kurt Andersen joined Riverside Chats to discuss his two volume explanation of America, Fantasyland and Evil Geniuses. In that conversation, he mentioned that he was working on a third part to this series, which would be fictional. He wouldn't give away any details at the time, but it turns out that he was working on Command Z, a new 8 part web series directed by Steven Soderbergh. The show follows a team from the 2050s who can transport their consciousnesses back into people today to try to reverse the trends leading to catastrophes of climate, economics, income inequality, and more. Today Andersen is back in conversation with Tom Knoblauch about how the series came to be, what Soderbergh could bring to the Andersen's diagnosis of the American present, and then how a show like this can impact viewers in a bleak political environment. All episodes of Command Z are available now at commandzseries.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/riversidechats/support

When Ty talked to Kurt Andersen back in 2020 upon the release of his exceptional book Evil Geniuses, we never thought it would lead to a sci-fi comedic series. Nevertheless, Andersen and Steven Soderbergh have co-created and recently released a new series, Command Z, which is a hilarious adaptation that addresses not only the major themes of Evil Geniuses but also explores how we might all think about all types of political action in 2023.  Kurt's back on the show this week to discuss why making Command Z was a dream come true and what he wanted to explore with the series that he couldn't with a nonfiction book. We also get his thoughts on how the Inflation Reduction Act might be impacting our view on the role of government and undoing some of the damage of the Evil Geniuses he covered and what he thinks of the Federalist Society-approved, conservative Supreme Court justices that continue to be awful.  Buy and watch Command Z here Further Reading: Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America The super-rich ‘preppers' planning to save themselves from the apocalypse by Douglas Rushkoff Subscribe to our Substack newsletter "The Climate Weekly" As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group.

Satire uses exaggeration to critique something about the world we live in, but what happens if the world is crazier than any satirist can come up with? How does one parody, as Kurt Andersen has put it, "the greatest self-parodists of all time"? On today's show, Tom Knoblauch is in conversation with Geitner Simmons, author of the new book, Android Run, a sci-fi thriller with a heavy dose of satire to discuss the societal role of fiction, journalism, and the pervasive absurdity no one can escape. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/riversidechats/support

The Shock Doctrine author Naomi Klein explains how to counter RFK Jr.'s misinformation. Showtime's The Circus host John Heilemann lays out the pretzel Republicans have tied themselves in as we learn that the DOJ has sent another Target letter to Donald Trump. Additionally, Evil Geniuses author Kurt Andersen details his new TV show, Command Z, with famed director Steven Soderbergh.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his book, The Power of Strangers, Joe Keohane sets out on a journey to discover what happens when we bridge the distance between us and people we don't know. He learns that while we're wired to sometimes fear, distrust, and even hate strangers, people and societies that have learned to connect with strangers benefit immensely. In this conversation, we will speak with Joe about the importance of strangers, relationships, and how you can build a community at your brewery. Joe Keohane is the author of The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World--which was somehow called "possibly life-changing" by both Kirkus Reviews and bestselling author Kurt Andersen. He's also the coauthor of The Lemon, one of the most anticipated novels of 2023, which prompted Bob Odenkirk to comment, "I loved it." Keohane is a veteran journalist who has worked as an editor at Medium, Esquire, Entrepreneur, and Hemispheres. His writing—on everything from politics, to travel, to social science, business, and technology—has appeared in New York magazine, The Boston Globe, The New Yorker, Wired, Boston magazine, and The New Republic. He is currently at work adapting The Lemon for television, and lives in New York with his family. Read the book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-power-of-strangers-the-benefits-of-connecting-in-a-suspicious-world-joe-keohane/14412974?ean=9781984855794 Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

Joining us this week is writer Kurt Andersen discussing his books Fantasyland and Evil Geniuses. (Repeat from March, 2022).

We all need a good fantasy world to retreat to sometimes – whether it's Hogwarts or Middle Earth, Westeros or Wakanda. But magical thinking can be dangerous too. And escapism isn't always innocent. So where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality? Original Air Date: September 17, 2022 Interviews In This Hour: Why not escape into fantasy? A tale of Disney adults — The magical thinkers, the dreamers, and the hucksters of America's fantasyland — Neil Gaiman on where dreams — and nightmares — come from Guests: Sarah Rachul, Marianne Eloise, Kurt Andersen, Neil Gaiman Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Tonight on The Last Word: Ukraine braces for new strikes as the war reaches its second year. Also, a Georgia judge responds to the Trump grand juror interviews. Plus, Rep. Barbara Lee announces her bid to succeed retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein. And an MSNBC docuseries examines Rudy Giuliani's controversial life and career. Timothy Snyder, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Glenn Kirschner, Rep. Barbara Lee and Kurt Andersen join Lawrence O'Donnell. 

By the 1970s, Richard Nixon's paranoia has reached new heights. He's become consumed with wiretapping, secret recording devices and surveillances, and he's convinced everyone's out to get him. He's dipping his toes into criminality, and the cover ups on top of cover ups are become more and more incriminating. But how does he get to this point? What's the point of new return? And how does it impact his legacy? It's the original scandal that broke the non-existent internet... let's chat Watergate with host of Nixon At War, Kurt Andersen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kurt Andersen and Lawrence O'Donnell first met 46 years ago as undergraduates at Harvard, forming a friendship that's flourished alongside their careers as two of their generation's most incisive, insightful observers of American politics and culture. Andersen made his mark in the 1980s as co-founder of the iconic Spy magazine, then went on to serve as editor-in-chief of New York magazine, host of the Peabody Award-winning radio program “Studio 360,” and best-selling novelist and non-fiction author. O'Donnell cut his teeth in Washington as staff director of the powerful Senate Finance Committee and protege to legendary New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then transitioned to the TV business — first as an Emmy Award-winning writer on “The West Wing” and currently as host of “The Last Word” on MSNBC. On this week's Hell & High Water, Heilemann, a friend of both Andersen and O'Donnell, brings the two men together for their first-ever joint interview. They discuss the performances of Joe Biden and Amanda Gorman on inauguration day, O'Donnell's insider's perspective on the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, and Andersen's “grand unified theory” of modern American life, as sketched out in his recent companion volumes, “Fantasyland” and “Evil Geniuses.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sounds the alarm telling Congress the U.S. is set to reach its debt limit on Thursday. Meantime, the Trump Organization is hit with a $1.6 million fine in a years-long tax fraud scheme. And our Friday Nightcap talks Republican's new power in the House, the embattled George Santos and a Golden Globes comeback. Jon Allen, Melissa Murray, Brendan Buck, David Cay Johnston, Rehema Ellis, Tim O'Brien, Toure and Kurt Andersen join.

John Heilemann, in for Nicolle Wallace, discusses the possible release of the former president's tax returns from the House Ways and Means Committee, the calls for investigation into Congressman-elect George Santos, a look ahead at the complete report of the January 6th Select Committee and more. Joined by: Susanne Craig, Donna Edwards, Tim O'Brien, Garrett Haake, Tim Miller, Jonathan Lemire, Rep. Pete Aguilar, Barbara McQuade, Maya Wiley, Kurt Andersen, Alan Feuer and Carol Lee.

Many episodes of this show grapple with the perhaps unanswerable question: why is America the way it is? Is there something inherent in American culture that answers where we're going? Kurt Andersen has been exploring the nature of American culture throughout his varied career, from co-founding Spy Magazine, writing for Time and The New Yorker, writing several novels, hosting the public radio show Studio 360, and most comprehensively through his recent two volume history of America: Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire and Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America. He's here today in conversation with Tom Knoblauch about his intellectual journey and the answers he has found in both our fantasies and our histories—and what this means for America's future. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/riversidechats/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/riversidechats/support

➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory   ➡️ About The Guest⁣ Kurt Andersen is the author of the New York Times bestsellers “Evil Geniuses” and “Fantasyland”, as well as the bestselling novels “You Can't Spell America Without Me”, “True Believers”, “Heyday”, “Turn of the Century”, and the podcast “Nixon at War”. He co-founded “Spy” magazine and co-created and hosted “Studio 360”, a Peabody Award-winning public radio show about art and pop culture that aired until 2020. He's also a journalist — former New Yorker columnist and staff writer, Time critic and columnist, New York editor-in-chief and columnist — and has written as well for television, film, and the stage. ➡️ Show Links https://www.instagram.com/kurtbandersen/  https://twitter.com/KBAndersen/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuandersen/     ➡️ Podcast Sponsors HUBSPOT - https://hubspot.com/ NORD VPN - https://nordvpn.com/successstory/  ➡️ Talking Points⁣ 00:00 - Intro 01:59 - Kurt Andersen's origin story 13:38 - Thoughts on Insight.com 23:42 - Kurt Andersen's take on how America was founded 33:58 - What did Kurt Andersen mean by “make America new again” in one of his books? 39:48 - How America could achieve a better system? 41:27 - Kurt Andersen talking about his book? 42:42 -The biggest challenge Kurt Andersen has ever faced in his life 43:59 - What would be one thing Kurt Andersen would tell his 20-year-old self? 44:39 - The most impactful person in Kurt Andersen's life 46:15 - Kurt Andersen's book or podcast recommendations 49:51 - What does success mean to Kurt Andersen? 50:52 - How can people connect with Kurt Andersen? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a special episode of Deep State Radio, David Rothkopf talks with Kurt Andersen about where his "evil geniuses" are now and the state of the country as we head into the midterms. They are joined by Nell Scovell and Marissa Rothkopf who both worked for Kurt at Spy Magazine. How have the Republican party and the media been corrupted? Why are Harvard and Yale graduates railing against the "elites"? Is Spy Magazine ultimately at fault for the political rise of Donald Trump? Find out during this exciting episode. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special episode of Deep State Radio, David Rothkopf talks with Kurt Andersen about where his "evil geniuses" are now and the state of the country as we head into the midterms. They are joined by Nell Scovell and Marissa Rothkopf who both worked for Kurt at Spy Magazine. How have the Republican party and the media been corrupted? Why are Harvard and Yale graduates railing against the "elites"? Is Spy Magazine ultimately at fault for the political rise of Donald Trump? Find out during this exciting episode. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music no longer sounds like it comes from a specific time. Old music sounds new these days. Music no longer sounds like it comes from a specific time. Old music sounds new these days. Support The Next Track (https://www.patreon.com/thenexttrack). ‌Show notes: Running Up That Hill (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp43OdtAAkM) Episode #201 - Kurt Andersen on Why Music Hasn't Changed in Decades (https://www.thenexttrack.com/204) Our next tracks: Lou Reed: I`m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos (https://amzn.to/3y1fCtX) Steel Pulse: Tribute to the Martyrs (https://amzn.to/3LQ36TZ) If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-next-track/id1116242606) or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.

John Heilemann, in for Nicolle Wallace, discusses the Mar-A-Lago search warrant. Plus, Trump pleads the fifth in the NY civil probe, Wisconsin embraces MAGA candidates, and Biden signs a bill expanding veterans' health benefits.Joined by: Jackie Alemany, Joyce Vance, Kurt Andersen, Rick Wilson, Alexi McCammond, Laurence Tribe, Phil Rucker, Katie Benner, David Plouffe, Matt Dowd, Cornell Belcher, and Maria Teresa Kumar

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, we listen back to Monday's Spiel about “unintended consequences,” as they relate to the Dobbs decision. And that inspired us to dig up Mike's 2017 interview with Kurt Andersen about his book Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire, in which, Andersen bemoans a system on the brink. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're welcoming Bill McKibben back to the show. Bill is the author of more than a dozen books, including the best sellers Falter, Deep Economy, and The End of Nature, which was the first book to warn the general public about the climate crisis. His new book “The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened” is now available. Guest hosted by Ben Jackson. Editorial Reviews Review “If we survive the interlocking plagues of climate change, right-wing authoritarianism, and savage inequality, future generations will utter the name of the New England moral visionary and activist McKibben with the reverence we speak of Emerson, Thoreau, and Garrison. This sparkling little diamond of a book illuminates the all-American boyhood and education of a radical Christian environmentalist in love with a broken world that, frankly speaking, may or may not exist at all a century from now. May McKibben's golden pen continue to flow swiftly and conquer―with both love and reason―the dangerous enemies of human civilization.“ ―Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) “Plainspoken, direct, conversational, and inspiring, Bill McKibben offers us generous insight into who he is and how he has been shaped by his middle-class upbringing in the suburbs. We see through inner and outer choices, struggles, and influences, why one of the world's most effective and humble leaders in the climate justice movement committed himself to an activist's life on behalf of a warming planet. The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon is more than a memoir, it is a bow to the power of social justice movements and a smart and savvy historical reflection on what has brought us to this crucible moment of climate collapse. Bill McKibben is an every-day hero who continues to show us not only what is possible, but necessary to our survival, the survival of our democracy, and all life in the places we call home.“ ―Terry Tempest Williams, author of Erosion: Essays of Undoing “What went wrong with America in the 1970s? In this searching book, Bill McKibben wrestles with a generation that lost its way, and why, and how to find the way back.” ―Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United States “Bill McKibben has written a great American memoir, using the prism of his own life to reflect on the most important dynamics in our society. Bill McKibben's writing is poignant, engrossing and revealing. His message is a clarion call for a generation to understand what happened to their American Dream, and to fight for our common future.” ―Heather McGhee, author of The Sum of Us: How Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together “Bill McKibben is such a heroic and consequential leader in the fight for the climate on behalf of all humankind, it's easy to lose sight of his humanity. As usual, this book is a thoughtful critique of wrong turns America has taken, but this time refreshingly and revealingly intertwined with his personal story. As a fellow former suburban boy who has also tried hard to figure out ‘what the hell happened,' The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon was like listening to a wise old pal preach.” ―Kurt Andersen, author of Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America “The prolific writer and activist finds some of the causes of our societal meltdown in the idyllic suburbs of his youth. . . . McKibben capably picks apart long-ago history to find present themes.” ―Kirkus Reviews --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/alyssa-milano-sorry-not-sorry/message

John Heilemann, in for Nicolle Wallace, discusses former Trump aide Peter Navarro's indictment for contempt of Congress. Plus, Pence's aide warned of danger before Jan. 6th, Biden calls for stricter gun legislation, the House probes Jared Kushner's business with Saudi Arabia, and 100 days of war in Ukraine.Joined by: Ari Melber, Harry Litman, Jackie Alemany, Katie Benner, Luke Broadwater, Mayor Quinton Lucas, Shannon Watts, Ben Rhodes, Kurt Andersen, Kate Kelly, and Ali Arouzi

John Heilemann, in for Nicolle Wallace, discusses the GOP's plans to contest upcoming elections. Plus, efforts to enact gun safety reform, the investigation into the police response to the Uvalde shooting, the U.S. provides Ukraine with advanced rocket systems, and the “year of the angry mom.”Joined by: Heidi Przybyla, Joyce Vance, David Jolly, Roland Gutierrez, Kurt Andersen, Priscilla Thompson, Philip Crowther, Carol Leonnig, Adm. James Stavridis, Harry Litman, Michael Steele, and David Plouffe

“Hoare writes with the license of the nonexpert; you can feel the delight he takes in being unbound by anything but his enthusiasms.”John Williams was describing Philip Hoare when he wrote that line, but he could easily have been describing me. As a nonexpert, I am free to speculate and arrive at my own conclusions. So are you. And so is your customer. You, me, and your customer claim we use deductive reasoning, but it simply isn't true. Deductive reasoning – the basis of scientific method – would require us to work diligently to disprove what we believe. Do you know anyone who actually does that? Rather than use deductive reasoning, we use inductive reasoning to search out information confirming that our values, beliefs, instincts, and preferences have been right all along. When confronted with contradictory information, our confirmation bias kicks in to assure us the contradictory information is not correct, so we dismiss it with the flick of a mental finger. Let me help you with that flicking away of contradictory information. I am an ad writer. Magical thinking, inductive reasoning, and confirmation bias sparkle at my fingertips. My job is to speak to that which is already within you. You have more than enough information. Let me agree with what you already believe. Google and Facebook will use their algorithms to help us build a community where we can surround ourselves with like-minded people who share our opinions and beliefs. Everyone who doesn't agree with us is uninformed, misinformed, fooled by faulty data, foolish rumor, or evil geniuses. Magical thinking, inductive reasoning, and confirmation bias sparkle at the fingertips of every evil genius. But I am not an evil genius. I am the genius that agrees with you. Magical thinking is difficult to explain, but Kurt Andersen does a pretty good job: “Americans have always been magical thinkers and passionate believers in the untrue. Our nation was started by Puritans in New England who wanted to create a Christian utopia as they waited for the imminent second coming of Christ and the End of Days. To the south, a bunch of people were convinced, absolutely convinced, that this place they had never been was full of gold waiting to be plucked from the dirt in Virginia. They stayed there looking and hoping for gold for 20 years before they finally faced the facts and decided they weren't going to get rich overnight.” “This was the beginning of America. Next we had centuries of ‘buyer beware' charlatanism and medical quackery to an extreme degree, along with increasingly exotic, extravagant, implausible cults and religions.” “All those things came together and were supercharged in the 1960s, when you were entitled to your own truth and your own reality. A generation later the internet came along, giving each of those realities, no matter how false or magical or nutty they are, their own kind of media infrastructure.” A wonderful story is dazzling and attractive, regardless of whether or not it is true. This is the basis of all successful advertising.“Hoare writes with the license of the nonexpert; you can feel the delight he takes in being unbound by anything but his enthusiasms.” John Williams wrote those words in https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/books/review-albert-whale-albrecht-durer-philip-hoare.html (his recommendation) of Philip Hoare's new book, “Albert and the Whale: Albrecht Dürer and How Art Imagines Our World.” John Williams book review column is titled, appropriately, “Books of the Times.” Roy H. Williams

Kurt Andersen is a returning guest, this time to talk about his sequel to Fantasyland, which is his excellent and thought-provoking work, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America--A Recent History. How exactly does it function as a sequel to Fantasyland? In this followup book, Kurt reveals that the vast wealth and income inequality in America was not by accident, but by design--the work of the "evil geniuses" he identifies in the book. And not only did the evil geniuses succeed, the "fantasy-industrial complex" he identified in Fantasyland is hard at work, providing a distraction for all the poor workers who have been screwed out of what should have been rightfully theirs. For more information on Kurt, his writings and podcasts, check out his website.  Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Information Follow Kurt Andersen on Twitter @kbandersen Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018

At some point in the past decade, Kurt Andersen felt like he had to figure out America. Coming from a professional career rooted in satire and troublemaking, Kurt had a pretty good vantage point to examine the tug of war between reason and magical thinking that has become a chronic American condition. Kurt talks with Marc about putting this all into his book, Fantasyland, and recalls the founding of Spy Magazine, where he and Graydon Carter took pleasure messing with public institutions like the New York Times, Hollywood, and Donald Trump. They also talk about Kurt's time at the Harvard Lampoon and how he came to host Studio 360. This episode is sponsored by Lights Out with David Spade, Stamps.com, and ZipRecruiter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast.