Best Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia Podcasts (2025)

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Post-911 Patriotic Mania (2001) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 2] 31:42

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3h ago31:42

31:42

This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today. Today: A look back at the way speech was policed in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. Bill Maher lost his job, professors were fired, Clear Channel removed songs that mentio…

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The Red Channels Whisper Network (1950) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 1] 27:56

1d ago27:56

27:56

It's September 22nd. This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today. Today: A look back at "Red Channels," an anti-Communist newsletter that started to create lists, mostly in the entertainment industry, of suspected …

1
Campus Loyalty Oaths [Some Sunday Context] 16:58

3d ago16:58

16:58

It's Sunday, and on Sundays we like to bring you new conversations and conversations from the archives that help provide a little context for the stories playing out today. Today, as we see a chilling effect on free speech around the country, we revisit part of our conversation on the history of universities and government funding, and how a lot of…

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Washington's Masonic Cornerstone (1793) 20:31

6d ago20:31

20:31

It's September 17th. This day in 1793, President Washington visits a site where construction is beginning on what would be the Capitol. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the ceremony around the laying of the cornerstone was shot through with Masonic symbolism and pageantry --- and some of the many conspiracy theories that surround the cornerstone.…

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The Great Crush Train Crash (1896) 17:28

8d ago17:28

17:28

It's September 16th. This day in 1896, a railroad executive named William Crush (really) has a brilliant idea: take two trains and hurtle them towards each other in the middle of the Texas prairie. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Crush had this idea, the incredible hype around the event -- and how it went exactly the way you'd expect. Don't forg…

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Ollie North, Still In The News [Some Sunday Context] 29:45

10d ago29:45

29:45

On Sundays, we try to bring you fresh conversations and stories from the archives that give you a little context on the news playing out in front of us. Today, Jody and Niki discuss the very dish-y news that Oliver North secretly married Fawn Hall, 40 years after they worked together and testified during the Iran-Contra scandal. Then, we rerun our …

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The Irish-Americans Fighting For Mexico (1847) 22:40

13d ago22:40

22:40

It's 1847. This day, a battalion of Irish immigrants are hung by the U.S. Army for deserting to the Mexican side in the Mexican-American War. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the "San Patricios Battallion" was formed, why Irish immigrants might feel more allegiance to Mexico than the United States, and how this group became martyrs in both Mexico…

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The Hummer Takes Over (2001) 19:21

15d ago19:21

19:21

It's September 9th. This day in 2001, a nationwide advertising campaign is underway for The Hummer truck, which has recently been taken over by GM and is poised to be everywhere. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the Hummer moved from the Gulf War to US streets, was all over hip-hop videos, and how it came to define a form of agressive American ma…

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Fred Tuttle Goes From Mockumentary to Senate Candidate (1998) 23:04

20d ago23:04

23:04

It's September 4th. This day in 1998, an elderly Vermont farmer by the name of Fred Tuttle has all of a sudden found himself as the Republican Senate candidate, after initially entering the race as a joke. Jody, Niki, and Kelllie discuss how Tuttle first came to attention by staring in a mockumentary, why Vermonters started to actually support him,…

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Alaska vs. Ohio: Mt McKinley To Denali And Back Again (2015) 18:31

22d ago18:31

18:31

We're back with new episodes! Today, it's September 2nd, 2015. The Obama administration has just signed paperwork to re-name North America's tallest mountain from Mt McKinley to Denali, its traditional Alaskan name. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the Alaskan mountain was named for an Ohio politician to begin with, the sketchy political maneuver…

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The Subway Vigilante Shooting (1984) w/ Leon Neyfakh [Archive Favorite] 31:09

27d ago31:09

31:09

It’s August 1st. This day in 1996, a judge ruled that Bernie Goetz still owed his victims millions of dollars in damages as a result of the “Subway Vigilante” incident some twelve years earlier. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Leon Neyfakh to discuss the subway shooting, the media frenzy surrounding Goetz, and the long legal fallout that resul…

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The U.S. Gets A New Capitol - For One Day (1814) [Archive Favorite] 17:40

29d ago17:40

17:40

It’s August 26th. This day in 1814, the small town of Brookeville, MD becomes the Capitol of the United States — for one night. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Brookeville became the seat of government amidst the chaos of the War of 1812. Plus, a bonus conversation about another story on this day, from 1970 — the bombing of a research facility a…

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Emergency Podcast: Smithsonian Showdown, Relitigating Slavery, More (2025) 41:02

1M ago41:02

41:02

This is audio of a video chat we recorded earlier this week in reaction to the recent attacks on the Smithsonian by the Trump administration, the conversation about slavery's legacy, and more. We released this in full video for our newsletter subscribers first -- consider subscribing to America250 Watch now to get access to all our ongoing coverage…

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The First Battle Over The Smithsonian (1846) [Archive Favorite] 21:56

1M ago21:56

21:56

The Trump administration has ramped up its attacks on museums and The Smithsonian. We're recoding a special reaction episode that will appear in our newsletter - sign up now to get it. In the meantime, here's an episode from the archives on the founding of the institution. It’s August 15th. This day (actually Aug 10th) in 1846, President Polk signe…

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The Dumbest, Most Perfect, Political Question Ever (2012) [Archive Favorite] 18:19

1M ago18:19

18:19

It’s July 31st, 2012. This day, on the campaign trail, a reporter shouts a question at Mitt Romney: “What about your gaffes?!” Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the question came to be asked and why it perfectly encapsulates everything wrong with modern political journalism. Plus, why the other questions asked that day weren’t that much better. Do…

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Jefferson Gets An Anti-Slavery Appeal (1791) [Archive Favorite] 19:40

1M ago19:40

19:40

It’s August 19th. This day in 1791, Benjamin Banneker sent an advance copy of his almanac to Thomas Jefferson. Along with the almanac, he included a letter pleading with Jefferson to recognize slavery as a moral wrong. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss Banneker’s enlightenment-era appeal, Jefferson’s reaction, and how the correspondence between the tw…

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Moral Panics, D&D, Steam Tunnels and More (1979) [Archive Favorite] 20:35

1M ago20:35

20:35

It’s August 17th. This day in 1979, a young college student by the name of James Dallas Egber III disappeared into a steam tunnel below his university, intending to commit suicide. But the story of his disappearance became a media - and moral - panic because of his affinity for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Jody, Niki, and Kelli…

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Trump On Charlottesville: "Very Fine People" (2017) [Archive Favorite] 28:22

1M ago28:22

28:22

It's August 15th. This day in 2017, President Donald Trump gave a press conference in which he offered remarks about the violence that took place in Charlottesville, VA a couple days before. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss the roots of the white supremacist rallies and violence in Charlottesville, as well as Trump's comments that there were "very fi…

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The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail (1846) [Archive Favorite] 16:25

2M ago16:25

16:25

It's August 13th. This day in 1846, Henry David Thoreau is thrown in jail -- for one night -- for refusing to pay his back taxes. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why Thoreau objected to the poll tax, and how his political stances intersected with the more personal work that emerged from his two years living on Walden Pond. Don't forget to sign up fo…

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Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and The Brutal Calculus of WWII (1945) w/ Garrett Graff 32:36

2M ago32:36

32:36

It's August 7th. This day in 1945, the US has bombed the Japanese city of Hiroshima, and two days later would drop a nuclear weapon on Nagasaki. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by author and journalist Garrett Graff to discuss the 80th anniversary of the bombings, how they played into the final months of WWII -- and what perspectives we are losin…

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WWII Internment: Latin Americans in Texas (1944) 18:49

2M ago18:49

18:49

It's August 5th. This day in 1944, a crucial moment in World War II history, a series of internment camps are being set up in Texas. Unlike the more widely known camps on the US West Coast, these camps held not only Japanese Americans but also individuals of Japanese, German, and Italian descent from Latin America, who were deported to this country…

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Texas Dems Flee To Stop Redistricting (Some Context) w/ Harry Enten 15:57

2M ago15:57

15:57

One of the biggest stories today, in 2025, is that Texas Democracts have left the state and are in Illinois, looking to hold up drastic redistricting legislation proposed by the GOP. In 2020, we recorded an episode about another time that Texas Dems fled the state to stop redestricting... We're bringing it to you now as part of our ongoing series t…

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Weird, Controversial, and Fake Historical Markers (Part 2) 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

Last episode, we talked about the history of historical markers, and what they indicate about the present. Today, a tour through some of our favorite examples of strange and controversial markers from around the country. Be sure to share your favorite historical marker in our newsletter chat! https://thisdaypod.substack.com/ Find out more at thisda…

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The History Of History Markers (Part 1) (1913) 22:15

2M ago22:15

22:15

It's July 29th. This day in 1913, Pennsylvania passed a law that would establish a system for adding historical markers and plaques around their state. Over the coming decades, other states would follow suit, and into the first half of the 20th century, the United States saw a flourishing of those road-side historical markers. Jody, NIki, and Kelli…

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The Frick Near-Assassination (1892) 23:59

2M ago23:59

23:59

It's July 24th. This day in 1892, labor activist Alexander Berkman attempts to assasinate industrialist Henry Clay Frick, head of the Carnegie Steel Corporation. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss the ratcheting tensions around the Homestead mill strike, and why Berman thought this "propaganda of the deed" would arouse class solidarity. Help out with A…

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John Dillinger Is Killed, The FBI Is Born (1934) 18:47

2M ago18:47

18:47

It's July 22nd. This day in 1934, gangster John Dillinger is killed by federal agents while walking out of a movie theater in Chicago. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the media environment that helped turn Dillinger into a star, and how J Edgar Hoover used the showdown with him and other gangsters to build the FBI as we know it. Help out with Americ…

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Willis Carrier Invents Air Conditioning (1902) 20:18

2M ago20:18

20:18

It's July 17th. This day in 1902, a New York engineer by the name of Willis Haviland Carrier is trying to figure out a system for keeping printing machinery cool -- and ends up developing the technology that would lead to air conditioning. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how quickly Carrier's invention spread, and how air conditioning changed everyt…

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The Great Grain Robbery (1972) 14:42

2M ago14:42

14:42

It's July 14th. This day in 1972, Russian agricultural officials are in New York City cutting deals with American farmers for surplus U.S. wheat. Before the U.S. government could realize what was happening, the U.S.S.R. had snapped up almost a quarter of the American crop. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the Russians were so desperate for grain,…

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Superman's Politics w/ Glen Wheldon [Some Sunday Context] 31:20

2M ago31:20

31:20

This episode is part of our "Some Sunday Context" series, new conversations and favorites from the archives that give some context for the biggest stories of the moment. Today: with a new Superman movie leading to a whole discourse about what he represents, we revisit a conversation with NPR's Glen Weldon about the comic book origins of the Man of …

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Frank Ocean's "Blonde" with Sam Sanders 1:06:13

3M ago1:06:13

1:06:13

Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Blonde. Frank Ocean 2016. Our special guest: Sam Sanders, host of The Sam Sanders Show and Vibe Check Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter, Craig Finn is arguing Summer. Craig won the coin toss. He is presenting first. Weigh in and find lots more on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, and clips on our ⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠ page. Get in touch thr…

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The Death Of The DOE (1868) 18:31

3M ago18:31

18:31

It's July 10th. This day in 1868, the federal government officially dismantled the Department of Education -- it would be more than a 100 years before it was re-established. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why there was a federal push to promote education in the wake of the Civil War, and why the fight against it feels so resonant to the anti-DOE ef…

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The Mormon King Of Beaver Island (1850) 20:09

3M ago20:09

20:09

It's July 7th. This day in 1850, a man by the name of James Strang has proclaimed himself the true inheritor of the Mormon church -- and set up a colony on Beaver Island in Michigan. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss a time of religious awakening in America, how Strang convinced his followers that he was their leader, and how he ruled over his flock o…

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How America250 Is Coming Together (Part 2) 24:00

3M ago24:00

24:00

We continue our conversation about the America250 celebrations planned for 2026 -- which are kicking off in earnest this July 4th. We know a lot about who is tasked with putting this celebration together, and what that may indicate. The big news is that we are announcing the launch of America 250 Watch! Our newsletter will be the hub, along with th…

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America250 Is Here, Are You Ready? 41:37

3M ago41:37

41:37

Hello and happy 4th of July! (One day early) America's 250th birthday is next year, but the celebration is, in many ways, kicking off this week. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the 250th will be such a key moment for understanding US history, how the Trump administration is already framing the story -- and how we plan to cover it into 2026. The …

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The Chicken Tariff That Led To Huge Trucks (1962) 14:52

3M ago14:52

14:52

It's July 1st. This day in 1962, six European countries are banding together to impose severe tariffs on imported American chicken. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why things got so heated in the poultry industry, and how the retaliatory tariff war it set off had major implications for, of all things, the American truck industry. Find out more at th…

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4th Of July, Protest, The Constitution and Slavery (Some Sunday Context) 20:26

3M ago20:26

20:26

This episode is part of our "Some Sunday Context" series where we are bringing you episodes from the archives and new conversations that try to give you a little historical perspective on current events. Today, an episode we recorded in 2021 about an anti-slavery protest in 1854, and how it brought up fundamental questions about our founding docume…

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LBJ Goes From War On Poverty To War On Crime (1968) 17:28

3M ago17:28

17:28

It's June 26th. This day in 1968, President Johnson signed what would be his last major act of domestic legislation -- an omnibus crime bill that drastically empowered and armed local police forces. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the conversation about public safety and policing shifted from the mid-to-late sixties, and how this bill set a temp…

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Wikipedia, The Last Good Place On The Internet (2003) w/ Garrett Graff 31:01

3M ago31:01

31:01

It's June 24th. In 2003, Jimmy Wales, the owner of Wikipedia, made the decision to put the site under the ownership of a non-profit company. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why this decision made a huge difference for the site, and reflected a lot of the ways that the Internet has worked, and not worked, in the decades since. They are joined by jour…

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Juneteenth, Federal Holidays, And Writing History In Real Time 11:38

3M ago11:38

11:38

It's June 19th. Today is Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States marking the end of slavery. We're bringing you an episode from 2020 on the history of the date and the holiday -- but before that some thoughts from Jody about how this very recent holiday reflects the way history is getting written before our eyes. Sign up for our newslett…

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50 Years Of JAWS Terrifying Everyone (1975) 18:26

3M ago18:26

18:26

It's June 17th. This day in 1975, Steven Spielberg's JAWS is in theaters -- it is the first proper summer blockbuster, and also has a massive political and cultural effect. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the movie ruined the reputation of sharks, and also served as a parable for late-1970s American malaise. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your …

1
LBJ Puts Thurgood Marshall On The Court (1967) 23:03

3M ago23:03

23:03

It's June 12. This day in 1967, President Johnson nominates Thurgood Marshall as the first Black Supreme Court justice. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss Marshall's stories legal career up until this point -- but why Johnson was still taking a major risk in putting him forward. Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch! Find out mor…

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The Strokes' "Is This It?" with Jack Coyne 59:57

4M ago59:57

59:57

Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: Is This It? The Strokes. 2001. Our special guest: Jack Coyne, host of Trackstar and Public Opinion. Jody Avirgan is arguing Summer, Craig Finn is arguing Winter. Jody won the coin toss. He is presenting first. Weigh in and find lots more on ⁠instagram⁠, and clips on our ⁠youtube⁠ page. Get in touch through ⁠o…

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FDR Takes Your Gold (1933) 18:59

4M ago18:59

18:59

It's June 9th. This day in 1933, the Roosevelt administration is asking Americans to turn their gold into the government -- or be jailed. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how FDR sought to stabilize the economy, how Americans reacted to the order to turn in their heavy metals -- and how this moment led the US to become less and less reliant on the go…

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LA, The National Guard, Immigration and the Zoot Suit Riots (Some Sunday Context) 27:07

4M ago27:07

27:07

Today, as part of our "Some Sunday Context" series, Jody offers some thoughts on the story playing out in Los Angeles where the Trump administration has called in the national guard, over the objections of local officials. This is the first time something like that has happened since 1965. We've done a number of stories that include the moment wher…

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The U.S. Deports A Chinese Scientist (1950) 19:21

4M ago19:21

19:21

It's June 5th. This day in 1943, the United States is in the process of deporting Qian Xuesen, a Chinese aerospace engineer who had lived in the US for decades and contributed significantly to WWII-era scientific research. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Qian came to the U.S. in the first place, rose the scientific and political ranks -- but the…

1
Jack Johnson't Big Fight (1913) 21:38

4M ago21:38

21:38

It's June 3rd. This day in 1913, boxer Jack Johnson is sentenced under the Mann Act, a vice law that sought to curb prostitution -- though many saw the sentencing as targeing Johnson for being a prominent and outspoken Black athlete. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss Johnson's boxing career, the many "great White hope" boxers he defeated, and how his …

1
Inside Airline Cockpits (Some Sunday Context) w/ Ganesh Sitaraman 29:10

4M ago29:10

29:10

Today, another in our "Some Sunday Context" series, where we bring you new conversations and episodes from the archives that try to help us make sense of life here in 2025. Nathan Fielder's "The Rehearsal" -- unexpectedly -- has many of us thinking about airline safety and aviation policy. His show is concerned with the interpersonal dynamics insid…

1
The Forgotten Resistance To Indian Removal (1830) 18:06

4M ago18:06

18:06

It's May 28th. This day in 1830, President Andrew Jackson has signed the Indian Removal Act into law, leading to the forcible removal of Native Americans in Georgia and elsewhere, culminating in the Trail of Tears a couple years later. But despite Jackson getting his way, there was widespread resistance at the political, legal, cultural and moral s…

1
Hippies vs. Hard Hats (1970) 27:32

4M ago27:32

27:32

It's May 26th. This day in 1970, Richard Nixon is hosting a group of labor leaders at the White House, where they present him with a hard hat. A few weeks earlier, in New York City, construction workers had attacked tens of thousands of anti-war protesters in lower Manhattan, cheered on by Wall Street workers. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the…

1
Lana Del Rey's "Norman F***ing Rockwell" with Avery Trufelman 1:09:55

4M ago1:09:55

1:09:55

Tonight on Summer Album / Winter Album: "Norman Fucking Rockwell!" Lana Del Rey. 2019. Our special guest: Avery Trufelman, host of Articles of Interest Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter, Craig Finn is arguing Summer. Craig won the coin toss. He is presenting first. Weigh in and find lots more on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, and clips on our ⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠ page. Get in…