Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voice mails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public ...
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Defector Media Podcasts
Only If You Get Caught is about how we can better understand sports and culture by appreciating the ways humans cheat in ways big and small. Hosted by Patrick Redford and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin, each episode will dive into the history and methodologies behind cheating scandals to explore what bending or breaking the rules tells us about ourselves. Created by Patrick Redford, Alex Sujong Laughlin, and Defector Media.
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It’s so hard to try something new. Maybe you dream of playing guitar, or speaking fluent Spanish. Maybe you want to learn to tap dance or do magic tricks or yodel. But what if you had a little help? On Try Hard, Alex Sujong Laughlin helps one ordinary person do the thing they never thought they could do. The process is embarrassing and uncomfortable, but hopefully always worth it. Be a try hard. We double dog dare you. Created by Alex Sujong Laughlin and Defector Media.
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Howie Kurtz picks five stories from the most important, to the most entertaining, to the buzziest. And, he will sound off on what they tell us about the media culture: Are they fair, fascinating or a flop?
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This podcast is for anyone who instinctively spells out their name after saying it, shares a name with a war criminal, or chose a new name because they were done with their original one. Even if you haven't experienced any of the above, you're still welcome to enjoy it. Hosted by Defector's Giri Nathan and Samer Kalaf. Produced by Ozzy Llinas Goodman. Show art by Tara Jacoby.
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Litquake is San Francisco's nine-day literary festival for booklovers, complete with cutting-edge panel discussions, unique cross-media events, and hundreds of readings. Litquake's Lit Cast is our selection of live recordings from the "Epicenter", a monthly series which embraces a theater of ideas between writers and readers.
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Democrats Livid at Defectors, But Letting the Shutdown Last Another Month Would Have Inflicted More Pain
33:20
33:20
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33:20Howie Kurtz on two Cleveland Guardians pitchers being indicted on illegal gambling charges, a new study debunking the link of acetaminophen use during pregnancy to increased risks of autism or ADHD in children, and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy being released from prison while his appeal is pending. Follow Howie on Twitter: @Howar…
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Best of the 'Media Buzz Meter': NBA Scandal, With Coach and Star Player Charged with Illegal Gambling, and Mafia Involvement, Will Taint Sport Forever
32:19
32:19
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32:19This 'Media Buzz Meter' first aired on October 24th, 2025 ... Howie Kurtz on the major insider trading scandal involving NBA players and coaches, the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, and Kim Kardashian’s brain aneurysm diagnosis. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Lea…
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Dems Defect on Shutdown As Trump Threatens States Offering Food Stamps to Hungry Families
33:52
33:52
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33:52Howie Kurtz on eight Senate Democrats voting in favor of a continuing resolution to advance the end to the government shutdown, the resignation of BBC’s director-general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness, and the potential renaming of the Washington Commanders football stadium after President Trump. Follow Howie on Twitter: @Howard…
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Frustrations Mount as Shutdown Prompts Trump Team to Cancel Thousands of Flights
31:41
31:41
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31:41Howie Kurtz on the government shutdown impacting air travel and staffing shortages at the FAA, the DOJ investigating a foreign trip made by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser that was paid for by Qatar, and Tesla shareholders approving a plan that could make Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz …
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Democrats Get Big Psychological Boost But Trump Still Holds All the Power
34:52
34:52
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34:52Howie Kurtz on former House Speaker Nancy Nancy Pelosi’s announcing she is not running for re-election, Marjorie Taylor Greene eyes potential presidential run in 2028, and the Supreme Court's skeptical questioning of President Trump's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #Me…
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An Emergency Private Podcast with Rohan Nadkarni
1:00:23
1:00:23
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1:00:23Rohan is back with Drew and Roth to talk about the Mamdani win and what it could mean for the political future. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of sandwich talk as well! Then, they talk about the Dolphins, the Jets, the World Series, and the real insider secret to getting traded: location, location, location. Do you want to hear your question answe…
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Huge Win for Democrats, Trump Says It’s Because He Wasn’t on the Ballot
32:51
32:51
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32:51Howie Kurtz on the Democratic sweeping key races in the 2025 elections, President Trump’s taunting '60 Minutes' with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell, and the passing of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi…
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Trump Endorses Cuomo at 11th Hour, But Does that Help or Hurt in NYC?
25:34
25:34
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25:34Howie Kurtz on the passing of former Vice President Dick Cheney, speculation around the 2028 U.S. Republican presidential nominee, and NBC's Late Night host Seth Meyers mocking President Trump’s comments about aircraft carrier catapults. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your…
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A Cheating Scandal That Explains The Online Chess Revolution
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32:10
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32:10When chess exploded in popularity during the pandemic, it changed — and those changes brought about a new kind of player, and a very new kind of scandal. Joshua Robinson from the Wall Street Journal joins us for this story about cheating, the internet, and uh...receiving vibrating signals through a connected device that is not intended for chess. E…
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Trump Skips Elections, Democrats Some Struggle, As Republicans Run Against Mamdani
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35:12
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35:12Howie Kurtz on the nail-biting end to Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's viral book tour, and Vice President JD Vance’s comments about hoping his wife would convert to Christianity. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your a…
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Josh Gondelman used to love playing basketball, but he can't seem to bring himself to play in his friend's long-running pickup game. Check out Josh's standup special, Positive Reinforcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAvNlgpdKKo Episode transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KPusncOHye0q-x9GVxODOTuG-NMoLMjMUEVWlfg2f4I/edit?usp=s…
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Trump Resuming Nuclear Testing and Wants “Nuclear Option”—Abolishing Filibuster to End Shutdown
31:18
31:18
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31:18Howie Kurtz on President Trump ordering the Department of War to start testing U.S. nuclear weapons, the struggle to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown, and King Charles' decision to strip his brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles and privileges due to his involvement with Jeff…
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Trump De-Escalates Trade War with Xi, Praises Him As ‘Great Leader’
33:38
33:38
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33:38Howie Kurtz on the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping , the potential impact of the government shutdown on the Affordable Care Act & SNAP benefits, and the controversy around NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s criticism of Israel. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click…
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It’s a Drew and Roth solo joint this week! They start with the World Series and how it’s good! Really good! Then, does the NBA gambling scandal matter? And finally, Drew is NOT making any predictions about the NYC mayoral election, but he and Roth have some hopeful thoughts about it. Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give…
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Trump Admits He Can’t Run for a Third Term, After Months of Trolling the Press
34:56
34:56
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34:56Howie Kurtz on Melania Trump's reported private concerns over the demolition of the East Wing project at the White House, the potential layoffs at major companies like Amazon and Paramount, and the decline in reading and literacy in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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Elon Musk Launches Grokipedia, A Copy of Wikipedia But With a Right-Leaning Slant
31:29
31:29
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31:29Howie Kurtz on the arrest of two suspects for the jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, the launch of Elon Musk’s new AI-powered online encyclopedia called Grocopedia, and a resurfaced photograph of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani with an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Follow Howie on Twitter: @H…
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Ben Shapiro Slams Trump Over $630 Million Demand from DOJ As He Teases a Potential Third Term
32:11
32:11
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32:11Howie Kurtz on President Trump seeking millions in compensation from the DOJ, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-NY) endorsing New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, and NFL player Travis Kelce’s investment in the Six Flags amusement park company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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NBA Scandal, With Coach and Star Player Charged with Illegal Gambling, and Mafia Involvement, Will Taint Sport Forever
32:19
32:19
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32:19Howie Kurtz on the major insider trading scandal involving NBA players and coaches, the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, and Kim Kardashian’s brain aneurysm diagnosis. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…
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Trump Defends Total Demolition of East Wing As Jarring Images Constantly Played on Television
32:55
32:55
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32:55Howard Kurtz on President Trump’s demand for $230 million in damages from the federal government, the demolition of the East Wing of the White House by the Trump Administration to make way for a $300 million ballroom, and the debate between Andrew Cuomo and Zohron Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race.Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKur…
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Our good buddy Justin Halpern (of Harley Quinn and Abbott Elementary fame) takes some time away from his luxury box to return to the show for a World Series preview. The ALCS & NLCS were packed with highlights: clutch double-plays, out-of-the-park homers, and the Best Player Of All Time™. Can the World Series itself hope to match, or have the Dodge…
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Trump Wants $230 Million in Damages for His Past Investigations, Now Says Will Give It to Charity
33:28
33:28
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33:28Howie Kurtz on President Trump’s demand for $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for federal investigations into him, the arrest of a pardoned Capitol rioter for threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the cancellation of a planned meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to dis…
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