Best Drew Magary Podcasts (2025)

1
An Apology to Brad Lohaus 1:07:07

2d ago1:07:07

1:07:07

It’s just Drew and Roth this week, and guess what? They’re gonna talk NBA playoffs, because Drew actually knows what he’s talking about this year! For real! He has thoughts on these teams! Then, they open up the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners like you! Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call …

1
Crazy Mid-Air Adjustments with Jason Steinhauer 1:01:21

10d ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Jason Steinhauer, public historian and author of History, Disrupted: How Social Media and the World Wide Web Have Changed the Past, lays out for Drew & Roth whether the current system is actually Fascism or merely sparkling Authoritarianism, and if historical precedent can even predict our modern times at all. And then after that, somehow, they als…

1
A Very Grim Place To Have A Beauty Pageant with Brandy Jensen 1:07:18

17d ago1:07:18

1:07:18

Defector’s Culture Editor Brandy Jensen doesn’t follow any sports, so she joins Drew and Roth to talk about other topics! Should Drew continue watching Reacher if episode one didn’t hook him? Can Brandy save the state of modern design in America? Would any of them accept a $400 million 747 from Qatar, no questions asked? Then, they open up the Funb…

1
1995 Man of the Year President Bill Climpton with Ben Collins 1:10:26

24d ago1:10:26

1:10:26

CEO of The Onion Ben Collins joins Roth to talk about running The Onion. How does a private citizen actually buy a long-standing-and-at-the-time-languishing satirical newspaper? Do you just sit there and clap your hands as they make jokes? How do you stand back up beloved bits and programs in the media landscape of 2025? And Ben shares two importan…

1
Bernie Sanders Liz Phair Lyrics with Patrick Redford 1:05:28

1M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

Defector’s own and basketball podcaster Patrick Redford joins Drew and Roth to talk about the NBA playoffs! What teams are zagging with Hyperball? How capital-G Good are the Cavs and the Thunder? Should Steve Ballmer just come out as a ball-knower? And in the back half of the show, Patrick has to respond to breaking Sacramento Kings news and they d…

1
What Goes On in the Mind of a Football Man with Mike Tanier 1:04:27

1M ago1:04:27

1:04:27

National football reporter and writer of the Too Deep Zone substack Mike Tanier joins Drew and Roth to get excited about the NFL Draft. How do teams come up with a coherent draft board… or do they? Is everyone watching the same Shedeur Sanders tape? And how many Twitch streams do they need to grind tape on? And as always, they dive into the Funbag,…

1
The Incredibly Late Spring Break Podcast 50:52

1M ago50:52

50:52

Here’s what Drew wrote for the agenda for this episode: - I bitch about spring break - Roth and I shoot the shit That’s what will happen. And as always, they dive into the Funbag, answering real questions from real listeners. Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Sponsors …

1
Why Am I Talking to the New Jags GM Right Now? with Tim Marchman 1:05:58

2M ago1:05:58

1:05:58

Director of politics, security, and science at Wired Tim Marchman joins Drew and Roth to explain what the hell is going on with DOGE. What exactly are they doing? How has Wired been able to investigate what’s been going? And what can Americans do to fight back? In the back half of the show, Marchman gets a chance to talk about the White Sox and the…

1
I’m Not Going to Mention Where He Went to College with Maitreyi Anantharaman 1:04:29

2M ago1:04:29

1:04:29

Defector’s own Maitreyi Anantharaman joins Drew and Roth to talk hoops and baseball! Who should we be rooting for in the women’s final four tournament? What’s going on with Paige Bueckers and does it have anything to do with Nico Harrison? Do we like the MBB Duke team now? And is the torpedo bat cheating or do we want the Yankees not to succeed? An…

1
Luxury Ice Fishing Apparatus with Bob Mould 54:31

2M ago54:31

54:31

Musician Bob Mould joins Drew and Roth to talk about his newest album, Here We Go Crazy, as well as life in general! They discuss how his recent marriage has changed his songwriting, what sort of magic goes into that whole arcane process, and what keeps bringing a world-touring musician back to America, even in 2025. Do you want to hear your questi…

1
The 2025 Idiot’s Guide to March Madness with Ken Pomeroy 59:31

2M ago59:31

59:31

College basketball metrics analyst Ken Pomeroy joins Drew and Roth for his annual preview of this year’s March Madness tournament! They answer your burning college basketball questions: How does Ken feel about being quoted by the governor of West Virginia? Does the fact that some players are wandering ronin affect the quality of play? What’s going …

1
I Can’t Trust Hot White Dips with Jasper Wang 1:00:04

3M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

Defector’s own Jasper Wang joins Drew and Roth to share the true crime story that happened to him. Can you solve the mystery of the burst pipes in Montana? Speaking of, these NFL teams are busted, as revealed by their free agency performance! In the second half of the episode, they explore the possibilities of the MLB forcing Tamba Bay Rays owner S…

1
The First Half Is About the State of the World with Denny Carter 1:00:05

3M ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Editor of the Bad Faith Times Denny Carter joins Drew and Roth to talk about everything that’s happening. They know what happened the last time Denny was on. That’s what they’re talking about. But don’t worry, they’re pivoting about something much more sunny in the second half of the podcasts: the Dallas Mavericks! Is this team cursed, rigged, or j…

1
Your Kids Are Mid with Nathan Grayson 1:02:34

3M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Nathan Grayson, co-founder of Aftermath and author of the new book Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Screen, talks to Drew and Roth about game streaming. Is Twitch a healthy company? Do the streamers like being on it? And how does this all feel in contrast to creating their worker-owned-journalism outfit? And …

1
The Paddington 2 of the NBA with Rohan Nadkarni 1:01:25

3M ago1:01:25

1:01:25

NBC News’ Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew and Roth to tell us what’s going on in the NBA after the All Star break. Who are three most interesting teams to watch in the East and the West? And in the second half of the show, they give you the sandwich talk that you’re craving, kicked off by a homemade vegan Double Down in Drew’s own home. And as always, th…

1
Disrespecting John Madden’s Name 1:00:17

4M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Drew and Roth break down The Big Game, including why Tom Brady’s commentary is so very bad and the Eagles defense is so very good. The back half of the pod is NBA corner as the guys discuss Miriam Adelson, the Mavericks’ beefy private sheriffs, and Dončić trade conspiracies. Plus, two voicemails for the Funbag, answering real questions from real li…

1
Both the Eagles and the Chiefs Are Gonna Win with Dan McQuade 1:10:46

4M ago1:10:46

1:10:46

Defector’s very own Dan McQuade joins Drew and Roth to talk about The Big Game! As chief Philly correspondent, Dan weighs in on how the Eagles can do it. Also as chief Philly correspondent, Dan explains how the Eagles can never, ever win it all. In the back half of the pod, everyone is still trying to have a thought other than “what the hell” about…

1
Apollo 13 Was a Well Made Movie with Will Tavlin 1:10:06

4M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

Will Tavlin, writer of the piece Casual Viewing in n+1, talks to Drew and Roth about why every movie on Netflix looks like that. Why does Netflix not only survives, but thrives, when no one is watching? How does the crappy look of Netflix movies fit with their initial DVD business model? And how has Will been responding to the readers who think thi…

1
This Episode Cancels Out the Manhattan Project with Justin Halpern 1:04:10

4M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

Executive producer of Harley Quinn and Abbott Elementary Justin Halpern returns to Drew and Roth to talk about the Dodgers making baseball into capitalism-shaped-like-a-baseball! In the wake of even more free agent signings, they explain how the Dodgers are running their team like a company with McKinsey consultants and they’re blowing everyone els…

1
Dresses Like Kevin Federline with Ed Zitron 1:09:44

5M ago1:09:44

1:09:44

Better Offline’s Ed Zitron joins Drew and Roth for a doubleheader of British accents and Trump impressions. The first half is all about what pits of despair NFL coaches would walk into if they joined the Raiders, the Cowboys, or the Jags. In the second half, Ed and Roth recap the 2025 CES Conference in Las Vegas and how everyone there is smooshing …

1
He Lost the Slack and the Clubhouse with Diana Moskovitz 1:04:12

5M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

Defector’s very own Diana Moskovitz joins Drew and Roth to preview the NFL playoffs! They interrogate why the Steelers are the way that they are, the ethics of rooting for the Packers, and who they think will win it all in their heart of hearts. And the show wraps up with the Funbag, answering real questions from real listeners. Do you want to hear…

1
The 2024 Williams-Sonoma Catalog Price Is Right 58:06

5M ago58:06

58:06

Christmastimeeee is hereeeeee and so is the 2024 Hater’s Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog. For your last Distraction of the year, enjoy Drew lead Roth through the wonders of the ridiculous catalogue and follow along at home by guessing the prices with your loved ones. Programming Note: we’re taking next Thursday off, see you on January 9th, 202…

1
Oprah Doesn’t Own Discovery with Susie Banikarim 1:03:52

5M ago1:03:52

1:03:52

Co-host of The Kicker: The Unraveling of Ozy Media Susie Banikarim joins Drew and Roth to unravel the story of Carlos Watson and the fraud of OZY Media. Why did so many rich people invest in this media company? Was the stuff that Watson did uniquely terrible or was he the one who got punished? Why would you name your company after the poem Ozymandi…

1
A Century of Podcast Episodes! with Eric Silver 1:01:21

6M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Producer of The Distraction and co-host of Attach Your Résumé Eric Silver joins Drew and Roth to celebrate 100 episodes in the new era of the show. What is different about the media industry since we started? Have Drew and Roth gotten better on the mic? Is there a petition to bring back the mashups? In the second half, they make their picks for the…

1
An All Pizzas Thanksgiving with Rivers McCown 1:00:10

6M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Writer of the Man, Free newsletter Rivers McCown joins Drew and Roth to talk all things NFL as we head into the tailend of the season. But first, Rivers describes his experience restarting on Substack after taking more than a year off from media. After that, we get into burning football questions: What’s going on with the Texans and CJ Stroud? Why …

1
The Dog’s Name Is Babydog? 54:41

6M ago54:41

54:41

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Take a break from watching the terrible games on Thursday and Friday to hear Drew and Roth talk about those games. And it’s better because there’s a 50% better chance for a good accent or impression. And the second half is an overflowing cornucopia of the Funbag, as they answer written and voicemail ques…

1
Part of Our World… of Billionaires with Sabrina Imbler 1:01:50

6M ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Defector’s own and author of How Far the Light Reaches Sabrina Imbler joins Drew and Roth to talk about obscure marine life! Sabrina contains multitudes, so they hash out which animal do they wish could be miniaturized, what do they like the most about the impending jingling bells of Christmas, and how much does a non-sports person know about what …

1
Cocaine in an MRI Machine with Arif Hasan 1:03:27

7M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Wide Left’s Arif Hasan joins Drew and Roth to talk about sports gambling. Although Drew and Roth have obligations to Bareback Sportsbook, Arif walks them through his personal experience with gambling and how society treats this particular vice stranger than all the others. In the second half, Arif turns his thoughtful considerations to Football, as…

1
Violator Was an Investment Banker in LA with Ray Ratto 56:19

7M ago56:19

56:19

Defector’s Very Own Ray Ratto joins Drew and Roth to talk only about sports and bagels and not about the election. We promise. First, they run through a game of How Fucked Is This NFL Team? It turns out, a lot of them are fucked. And in the second half, we have a heaping helping of Funbag questions, as they answer both written and voicemail questio…

1
The First Half Is About the Election with Denny Carter 1:01:00

7M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Editor of the Bad Faith Times Denny Carter joins Drew and Roth to preview the 2024 Presidential Election. Drew has a bold prediction he wants to share with all of you and it makes sense if you’re watching the game. But don’t worry, election coverage is just the first half of the show. In the second half, they’re mostly talking about how Jayden Dani…

1
Increase Revenue Across Three Fiscal Hog Moons 59:06

7M ago59:06

59:06

Drew and Roth are podcasting from Atlantic City, so this episode is extra impressive considering they’re glued to slot machines for the whole recording. In the first half, they’re previewing the World Series, giving a final eulogy for the 2024 Mets, and wondering how Yankees-y are these Yankees when they pick off other teams’ best players. In the s…

1
Skin Like Cinnabon Icing with Rohan Nadkarni 56:16

8M ago56:16

56:16

NBC News’ Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew and Roth for Sandwich Talk, Chicago and The Bear edition! After that, they continue to wrestle with the ethics of Tua returning to the Dolphins because the AFC is all messed up and most QBs are either bad or ok and expensive. In the second half, Roth opines on the scrappy Mets…but Rohan doesn’t think they're all …

1
Playing Nice with Jason Schreier and Luis Paez-Pumar 1:00:43

8M ago1:00:43

1:00:43

Jason Schreier, Bloomberg journalist and author of the new book Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment, joins Roth to talk about what’s been going on with the company that makes Warcraft and Overwatch. Along with Defector comrade Luis Paez-Pumar, they discuss what the story of Blizzard means for the story of gaming as a who…

1
Stations of the Plaxico Burress Cross 1:03:02

8M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

We’re just some NFL guys, watching the players run around like miniatures in a Warhammer 40k game. In the first half, Drew revels in his incredible mood because the Vikings are the main characters of this football season and Roth is taking considered interest in how good Aaron Rogers could be as a color commentator. In the second half of the show, …

1
Look at Mr. Restaurant with Maitreyi Anantharaman 59:45

8M ago59:45

59:45

Defector’s own Maitreyi Anantharaman joins Drew and Roth for a September sports roundup. They discuss NFL Week 2: are the Lions bad, is Sam Darnold the MVP, and are we genuinely concerned about Tua’s brain? Onto baseball, as we’re on How Are You Doing? Watch for Maitreyi as they talk about the on-the-cusp Tigers. Finally, they preview the WNBA play…

1
Investors Demand 13 Players on the Field with Israel Daramola 52:11

9M ago52:11

52:11

Defector’s own Israel Daramola joins Drew and Roth to ring in the college football and pro football seasons. And that means it’s also is-college-football-falling-apart-with-the-NIL-and-12-team-playoff season and pro-athletes-getting-harassed-by-cops season. And as always, they dive into the Funbag, answering real questions from real listeners. Do y…

1
The Fastest NFL Good/Bad Ever with Kalyn Kahler 1:12:03

9M ago1:12:03

1:12:03

Former comrade and now ESPN’s own Kalyn Kahler joins Drew and Roth to preview the NFL season with the fastest ever recorded game of GOOD/BAD. As you can see by the run time, “fastest” still means you’ll get your money’s worth. But before they dive in, Kalyn previews her new podcast Spiraled, which is like Hard Knocks meets Serial meets the Duggar f…

1
An Unironic Donald Pump T-Shirt 1:03:24

9M ago1:03:24

1:03:24

It’s the dawwwwg days of summer, so Drew and Roth hanging out by the podcast pool! First off, it turns out when everything isn’t terrible, they actually like talking politics. Drew and Roth discuss if Trump merch will ever become ironic and if the Democrats actually get it. Then, baseball! Which is more impressive: Ohtani joining the 40/40 Club or …

1
Sleep Number 69 with Rohan Nadkarni 1:00:43

9M ago1:00:43

1:00:43

Best-Friend-of-the-Pod Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew to bounce back from the dark place they were in when he was last on the podcast. Now there’s a new Democratic nominee, JD Vance is constantly beefing it, and college football is on the horizon! That’s so much to be excited about (and do a Hater’s Guide to College Football). But first, Rohan has some …

1
Government Controlled Podcast Microphones with Rachelle Hampton 56:07

10M ago56:07

56:07

Defector’s own Rachelle Hampton joins Drew and Roth to welcome her into the Defector family of content! But Rachelle explains why she’s hanging her Blue Yeti up in the rafters. After Media Talk, they turn to the Olympics, where they decide if they have to hand it to the IOC for doing a good job in Paris. In the back half of the show, Drew runs a th…

1
Viscosity in the Early 80s with Chris Nashawaty 53:55

10M ago53:55

53:55

Chris Nashawaty, author of The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, And the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982, joins Drew and Roth to talk about movies in the 80s! They ask Chris about the unifying idea underneath ET, Blade Runner, Wrath of Khan, Conan The Barbarian, Poltergeist, The Thing, and The Road Warrior: moist monsters are moist monsters are better …

1
Podcast Rant Protocol with Patrick Redford 58:08

10M ago58:08

58:08

Defector’s own Patrick Redford joins Drew and Roth to put on Peacock and fully emerse themselves in the Olympic games. The Opening Ceremonies were A Lot of Drama, but is reenacting Marie Antoniette’s beheading with metal music more dramatic than Steve Kerr benching Jayson Tatum? Speaking of TV, drama, and NBA, Drew, Roth, and Patrick decide who to …

1
Boogaloo Zones with Pablo Torre 57:33

10M ago57:33

57:33

Pablo Torre, of Pablo Torre Finds Out, joins Drew and Roth to talk about the Olympics! In the first half, Pablo walks them through the most corrupt sport in Olympics history. And in the second half, they determine if we’re having a 90s timewarp with breakdancing, kayak cross and USA men’s basketball. And as always, they dive into the Funbag, answer…

1
Chief End Times Correspondent 1:00:41

11M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

It’s just Drew and Roth in this episode, but I think it captures what it’s like living in America right now. In the first half, they process all of The Stuff that’s been going on in the country. And in the second half, they talk baseball and the All-Star game, along with some Funbag questions. A microcosm of modern life, you know? Do you want to he…

1
A Pog on Society with Rohan Nadkarni 48:31

11M ago48:31

48:31

Chief Sandwich Correspondant Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew to actually explain how the NBA’s CBA apron actually works. Is it making everything worse? or is all we have to talk about Bronny James so we’re keying in on it? And in the second half, Rohan delivers secret Pennsylvania buffet intel and they dive into the Funbag, answering real questions from …

1
What Was 1982 Like? with Ray Ratto 46:56

11M ago46:56

46:56

Chief Comrade of Defector Ray Ratto joins Roth to get really esoteric with it. We’re asking the tough questions: What’s the deal with the city of Edmonton? How did everyone not die in the late 1970s and early 80s? What do you call a run forced in by cheating? And how much semi-legal sticky stuff is too much sticky stuff for the MLB? And as always, …

1
Mr. Met Has Fallen Down the Stairs at the Met Gala 1:01:23

12M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

It’s summertime and you know what that means? Drew and Roth are hanging loose, chilling out, and wondering if the flags at the beach are related to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s wife. In the first half of the episode, they’re wrapping up an NBA season of wondering if the Celtics are good and kicking off NFL QB contract dicsussion now that th…

1
100 Foods to Throw in the Garbage with Megan Greenwell 1:04:25

12M ago1:04:25

1:04:25

Godmother of Defector Megan Greenwell joins Drew and Roth to talk about how private equity is pervasive and bad. Also pervasive and bad are the Athletics baseball team, which they discuss in the second half of the show. But it’s not just doom and economic gloom, because this episode also has loud farts, emo cows, tight doughnuts, and Zoomers using …

1
It Doesn’t Matter If We’re Off Topic with Ray Ratto 1:02:39

12M ago1:02:39

1:02:39

Defector’s own Ray Ratto joins Drew and Roth to dive into the 2024 NBA Finals! Is Kyrie good enough at basketball to forgive all the weird things he said in the past? Are the Celtics the greatest team of the 21st century, actually bad and will lose in the finals, or maybe somewhere in between? And in the second half of the show, they hit on the med…

1
It’s the Distraction, I’m Sheila, That’s Roth. 53:16

1y ago53:16

53:16

It’s time for the Annual Defector Staff Meeting, so Drew and Roth are recording a guestless ep a little ahead of time. And guestless ep means a wide breadth of topics: toothpaste talk, butter talk, consideration of the future of Defector, wrestling with the goal of Defector being the #1 website, summertime body talk, wondering if Current Age Derek …

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