Best Justin Edgar Podcasts (2025)

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2025 Roundup w/Joe Talbot & Grace Neutral • Part 1 of 2 #651 1:08:46

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22m ago1:08:46

1:08:46

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the fabulous duo of JOE TALBOT (Idles) and GRACE NEUTRAL (tattoo legend)! Part 1 of 2! Folks used to the yearly custom of the DrunkCast need not go thirsty, for this is the season of powerful teamups on the podcast in order to celebrate the ye…

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Real Argument, Real Hope with E.J. Dionne (Best of 2025) 1:18:58

34m ago1:18:58

1:18:58

E.J. Dionne brings moral clarity and humility to the hardest questions in public life — this “Best Of” episode reminds us what real dialogue can be. Best Of TP&R As we close out the year, we’re resurfacing a small handful of conversations from the Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other archive that best reflect what this show exists…

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The King of Nations Vs. The King of Self

12h ago

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The Empire Podcast Review Of The Year 2025 2:41:08

4d ago2:41:08

2:41:08

And so, as 2025 disappears off into the distance, it's the most wonderful time of what's left of the year, as the Empire Podcast team get together in the podbooth for their marathon deep dive/look back at the cinematic year that was. Join Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer for this near-three-hour behemoth in which they go through the year …

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Making Room for Disagreement: Jonathan Rauch & Liz Joyner on Heterodox Academy and the Courage to Keep Talking 1:24:33

33m ago1:24:33

1:24:33

Best Of TP&R As we close out the year, we’re resurfacing a small handful of conversations from the Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other archive that best reflect what this show exists to do: create space for thoughtful disagreement, moral seriousness, and the hard work of living together in a pluralistic democracy. This conversati…

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Christmas Drinks w/Musa Okwonga & Polarbear • Part 2 of 2 #650 52:07

4d ago52:07

52:07

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by friends of the podcast and friends in life MUSA OKWONGA and POLARBEAR! Part 2 of 2! Otherwise known as the 'elevated' Drunkcast with 100% less rowdiness and very little if any drunkenness! So an entirely respectful affair all in all (shoutouts…

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Christmas Drinks w/Musa Okwonga & Polarbear • Part 1 of 2 #650 55:46

1d ago55:46

55:46

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by friends of the podcast and friends in life MUSA OKWONGA and POLARBEAR! Part 1 of 2! Otherwise known as the 'elevated' Drunkcast with 100% less rowdiness and very little if any drunkenness! So an entirely respectful affair all in all (shoutouts…

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Mónica Guzmán | Fearless Curiosity in a Time of Outrage 1:06:42

2d ago1:06:42

1:06:42

A conversation worth revisiting. Mónica Guzmán’s work captures the spirit of Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other at its best: fearlessly curious, deeply humane, and committed to bridging divides without sacrificing conviction. In this Best of TP&R episode, Corey revisits his wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation with Móni…

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Advent Begins in the Dark: Luke 1:26-38

4d ago

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Stephen Merchant (The Office / Logan / Fighting With My Family) • Friday Rewind 1:25:58

6d ago1:25:58

1:25:58

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Stephen Merchant, originally episode 255 from 2019-02-27. Original writeup below: “…you realise you’re sort of somewhere between Rocky and A Star Is Born” An absolute legend right here, in not only TV, st…

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Farewell, Rob (ft. guests Glenn Close; Stephen Lang; Josh Safdie) 2:13:59

11d ago2:13:59

2:13:59

The final Empire Podcast of the year is here, folks, and it's a bumper-sized jamboree, longer than usual and hopefully fit to tide you over until we return with Episode 700 (live from Kings Place) on January 11th. For the first time ever, the revolving fourth chair revolves wildly during the pod itself, so Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer…

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It: Welcome To Derry — An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Warner Bros. 46:38

12d ago46:38

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They all float down here. Now that It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to Andy Muschietti's It Chapter One and It Chapter Two, has finished its eight-episode run, the Empire Podcast has teamed up with Warner Bros. to bring you a special episode in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer conquer their fears of clowns, spiders, and spider-clow…

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Wrapping Up 2025 with Reflection, Reckoning, and Resolve 45:36

11d ago45:36

45:36

A raw, reflective journey through the political upheavals, personal reckonings, and hard-won hope of 2025. Episode Summary Corey takes us on a tour of 2025’s most pivotal moments—both in politics and in his own life. He recounts the Trump administration’s controversial actions, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and civic responses like the No King…

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TV Of The Year 2025 w/John & Joel (of The Dream Factory podcast) #649 1:22:23

8d ago1:22:23

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Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by John & Joel of the wonderful Dream Factory podcast to talk TV of the year for 2025! Not a "top 10" as such, this is more of a run-down of a lot of the incredible TV that we have been blessed with this year, in what has turned out to be a very …

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Weaving Light into Chaos with Nikki Harris 1:10:36

10d ago1:10:36

1:10:36

A Weaver’s Journey of Art, Advocacy, and Belonging — from WEAVE: The Social Fabric Project In this edition of our special Weavers series, we sit down with Nikki Harris—fiber artist, mother, advocate, and community connector from Baltimore, Maryland. Through art and action, Nikki embodies what it means to weave the social fabric. She shares her jour…

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Advent Begins in the Dark - Psalm 13

11d ago

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Paul Thomas Anderson & Boogie Nights: An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Warner Bros. 44:55

18d ago44:55

44:55

Boogie Nights wasn't Paul Thomas Anderson's first movie (that was Hard Eight), but it's the film that put him firmly on the map, and served notice that here was a serious filmmaking force. And with the release of a remastered 4K UHD version of Boogie Nights on Monday, December 15, it's the perfect time for the Empire Podcast team — Chris Hewitt, He…

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There's Magic In The Air (ft. guests Shih-Ching Tsou & Sean Baker; Daryl McCormack & Cailee Spaeny; James L. Brooks) 1:56:11

18d ago1:56:11

1:56:11

The penultimate regular Empire Podcast of the year is here, folks (don't worry, there are specials galore on the way), and it's a belter. Guest-wise, we have more goodies under the tree, as Jamie Graham talks to longtime collaborators Shih-Ching Tsou and Sean Baker (the director of Anora) about Tsou's directorial debut, Left-Handed Girl, which can …

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F1: An Empire Podcast Interview Special ft. Jerry Bruckheimer, Damson Idris & Kerry Condon 1:04:35

19d ago1:04:35

1:04:35

"Yer man's in the pits, boss!" Joseph Kosinski's crowd-pleasingly kinetic F1 was one of the success stories of the year at the box office, displaying impressive legs (or wheels) to take the chequered flag with over $600 million in the global bank, making it the biggest hit of Brad Pitt's career. And now that the film is making its debut on Apple TV…

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Bill Bailey (Vaudevillean / Black Books / Buzzcocks) • Friday Rewind 1:03:44

13d ago1:03:44

1:03:44

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Bill Bailey, originally episode 292 from 2019-10-16. With Bill’s new appreciation of the early morning start, and enjoying those gems that are the early hours of the day, he joins Pip for some ace earlier…

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ICYMI: Curtis Chang on Fear, Faith & Healing Our Political Witness 58:46

14d ago58:46

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A deeply clarifying conversation about fear, faith, and how Christians can reclaim a healthier way of engaging in public life. In this ICYMI release, Corey revisits his thoughtful and timely dialogue with Curtis Chang—public theologian, founder of Redeeming Babel, and co-creator (with David French, Dr. Russell Moore and Nancy French) of The After P…

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Infinite Coles: show me to your crowd (son of Ghostface Killah / Black Girl Magic / SweetFaceKillah) #648 59:59

15d ago59:59

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Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the fabulous musician and icon INFINITE COLES! For those unfamiliar, yes Infinite Coles is the son of Ghostface Killah of Wu Tang - just to address that particular genetic detail! Though Infinite is in no way staying in what we now know as the…

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Pew Research’s Gregory A. Smith on What Americans Really Believe—and Why the Data Might Surprise You 1:13:36

16d ago1:13:36

1:13:36

Forget what you think you know about religion in America. The latest research from Pew reveals a story that’s more complex—and more hopeful—than the headlines suggest. Corey sits down with Gregory A. Smith, who’s spent over two decades studying how faith and identity shape American public life. In this no-fluff conversation, Greg unpacks the surpri…

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Second Sunday of Advent

18d ago

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Advent Begins in the Dark

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ICYMI: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde on Courage, Faith, and Public Witness 1:05:33

18d ago1:05:33

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A luminous conversation about leadership, love, and what spiritual courage looks like in a polarized age. In this ICYMI episode, Corey revisits his deeply moving conversation with Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington and one of the most trusted—and most tested—faith leaders in American public life. With striking humility and c…

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ICYMI: Alexander Vindman — The Folly of Realism 1:17:18

20d ago1:17:18

1:17:18

One of the clearest, most necessary voices on Ukraine, democracy, and what the West keeps getting wrong. In this ICYMI episode, Corey revisits his most recent conversation with Dr. Alexander Vindman — retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, former Director for European Affairs on the National Security Council, and author of The Folly of Realism: How …

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QT's Making A List, We're Checking It Twice (ft. guests Taron Egerton; George Clooney & Adam Sandler; Jon M. Chu) 1:58:26

26d ago1:58:26

1:58:26

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Christmas on our mind as we enter December, and accordingly we deliver a sackful of great guests to you, our loyal and loving listeners. First off, Chris Hewitt goes to Taron Egerton's actual flat (smells divine... and the flat wasn't bad either) to sit down with him for a candid chat about his career,…

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Jordan Gray (Transaction / Tall Dark Friend / Edinburgh Fringe) • Friday Rewind 1:18:18

20d ago1:18:18

1:18:18

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Jordan Gray, originally episode 57 from 2015-09-09. Jordan's been a long term friend (and Tall Dark Friend) of the podcast and Pip for many years, and seeing their development in not only career but perso…

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From the Bronx to the Beltway: Congressman Ritchie Torres on Grit, Grace, and Governing (ICYMI) 31:21

21d ago31:21

31:21

One of the most compelling personal and political stories in Congress today — raw, principled, and deeply human. In this ICYMI episode, Corey revisits his conversation with Congressman Ritchie Torres, who represents New York’s 15th district in the Bronx. With refreshing candor, Torres shares his journey from public housing and poverty to becoming t…

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The Shameless Plug #10: The Odyssey Odyssey 42:36

27d ago42:36

42:36

The new episode of The Shameless Plug is here, folks, and this month sees Chris Hewitt sit down with freshly-minted award winner, Empire editor Nick de Semlyen, to delve into one of the most special issues of Empire magazine in many a moon: our world exclusive first look at Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, for which Nick went on something of an ody…

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ICYMI: David French — Faith, Politics, and the Ethics of Disagreement 1:18:00

22d ago1:18:00

1:18:00

One of the most clarifying conversations we’ve had about conscience, character, and navigating our divisions with integrity. In this ICYMI release, Corey revisits his conversation with David French — New York Times columnist, attorney, veteran, and one of the most thoughtful voices on religious liberty, civic virtue, polarization, and how principle…

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Bilal Zafar: can't knock the hustle, or the day job (Got A Problem Mate podcast / Cakes special / Twitch) #647 1:03:36

28d ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by show pal, comic and podcaster BILAL ZAFAR! A return mission for Bilal who is always welcome aboard, and a lovely chance for anyone less acquainted to become fast friends. Bilal's carving out a really special and unique path in comedy, mixing t…

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ICYMI: Anne Applebaum — How Autocrats Rise and Democracies Fall 1:05:54

29d ago1:05:54

1:05:54

One of the most essential conversations we’ve had — on authoritarianism, influence campaigns, and what it takes to defend democracy. In this ICYMI release, Corey revisits his conversation with Anne Applebaum — Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, staff writer at The Atlantic, and one of the world’s leading experts on modern authoritarianism. Anne expl…

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ICYMI: David Brooks on Moral Repair, Friendship, Faith, and the Inner Work of Democracy 1:06:31

26d ago1:06:31

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One of TP&R’s all-time standout conversations—perfect for new listeners discovering the show this week. In this special ICYMI release, Corey revisits his deeply human, deeply honest conversation with David Brooks—New York Times columnist, bestselling author of The Second Mountain and How to Know a Person, and one of the most thoughtful public voice…

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Advent Begins in the Dark: Isaiah 42:1-9

27d ago

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Advent Begins in the Dark: Isaiah 42:1-9

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There Can Be Only Dozens (ft. guests Simu Liu; Ke Huy Quan; Richard Linklater & Ethan Hawke) 1:51:41

1M ago1:51:41

1:51:41

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down with two actors who star in animated movies (and ask them both about their favourite things to do in London). First, Simu Liu Zooms in to talk about new Netflix family flick, In Your Dreams, plus his own dreams, and the return of Shang-Chi to the MCU. [21:38 - 38:30 approx] Then, …

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Self Esteem (A Complicated Woman / Prima Face / Prioritise Pleasure) • Friday Rewind 59:26

1M ago59:26

59:26

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Self Esteem, originally episode 455 from 2022-06-01. Original writeup below: A huge episode right here, spraypaint-style in content in that it contains so much more than the runtime might suggest. The mag…

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Something Special for the Holiday: EAST MEETS WEST SPORTS - Cleveland’s QB Gamble & LA’s Power Play 33:23

1M ago33:23

33:23

Call it a holiday palate cleanser: today’s TP&R feed features a special drop from East Meets West Sports. Be sure to find this new show on all the apps, follow, rate, review... You know the drill. Enjoy! Can Shedeur Sanders prove he's “the one” – or is Cleveland just buying time? Meanwhile, LA sports shake things up from the locker room to the fron…

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Ben Foster: the quest to find the character vibration (Christy out 28th Nov) #646 38:02

1M ago38:02

38:02

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the fabulous actor BEN FOSTER! Ben's been making a huge amount of power moves out there on the big screen, and carries an unmistakeable presence which makes each role totally unique. Whether you started off on the marvelous Hell Or High Water,…

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Dr. Melissa Deckman on America’s Cracks: Trumpism, Gen Z, and the Faith Factor 1:18:18

1M ago1:18:18

1:18:18

What PRRI’s Latest Data Reveals About Our Deepening Divide In the shadow of rising polarization, this episode dives deep into the latest findings from PRRI's American Values Survey, Trump’s Unprecedented Actions Deepen Asymmetric Divides. Corey is joined by Dr. Melissa Deckman to break down the data—and what it tells us about party loyalty, trust i…

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Making the Love of Jesus Known Through Hospitality

1M ago

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Escape From Malcatraz (ft. guests Benedict Cumberbatch & Dylan Southern; Joel Edgerton & Clint Bentley; Ariana Greenblatt) 1:57:43

1M ago1:57:43

1:57:43

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees the podteam — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer — play themselves as they discuss great 'as themselves' performances in the movies. They also run their collective eye over the week's movie news, including heartening Star Trek developments, review Train Dreams, Wicked: For Good, Playdate, and S…

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Redemption Projects: From Wreckage to Repair 40:36

1M ago40:36

40:36

Repairing the damage—in our democracy, in our relationships, and in ourselves. ✨ Episode Summary Let’s talk about redemption—what it really means to repair what’s been broken, whether in our democracy or in our personal lives, and how we can tell the difference between a true apology and just going through the motions. Inspired by a powerful Substa…

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Benjamin Zephaniah (writer / poet / actor / 1958-2023) • Friday Rewind 1:03:07

1M ago1:03:07

1:03:07

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Benjamin Zephaniah, originally episode 353 from 2020-11-11. Original writeup below: Pure enjoyment from the Birmingham legend as he and Pip catch up and talk about all things poetry but so much more… Begi…

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Alex Winter: a lifelong excellent adventure (Bill from Bill & Ted / Lost Boys / Adulthood) #645 45:22

1M ago45:22

45:22

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the legendary actor and director ALEX WINTER! As you will of course know, Alex was Keanu's co-star in the Bill & Ted series which is something he does not shy away from, but there is a whole lifetime of being a fully rounded person since then.…

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Polling, Prop Bets, and Political Truths: Carl Allen Returns 1:25:26

1M ago1:25:26

1:25:26

What do you get when a data scientist with a knack for sports betting and political forecasting returns to the pod? A masterclass in what polling can and can't do, how bad assumptions skew our democracy, and why Carl Allen thinks we need to stop blaming the camera for the race result. In this fascinating, far-ranging convo, Corey and Carl Allen (au…

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Making the Love of Jesus Known Through Spiritual Formation

1M ago

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All The Information Is On The Task (ft. guests Edgar Wright, Rosamund Pike & Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon) 1:58:03

2M ago1:58:03

1:58:03

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast would surely deserve to get a full fat five points from Greg Davies, the Taskmaster himself, as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and John Nugent apply themselves wholeheartedly (some more wholeheartedly than others, it must be said) to deciding which Taskmaster contestant has appeared in the best fil…

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Julia Ducournau & Tahar Rahim On Alpha: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 24:35

2M ago24:35

24:35

Alpha is the third film from the brilliant French filmmaker, Julia Ducournau, following on from her titanic debut, Raw, and her raw follow-up, Titane (which won the Palme D'Or, no less!). A tale of an unusual epidemic and generational trauma, there's much going on above and below the surface, which we get into in this interview special, as Jamie Gr…

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Against the Noise: Gratitude as a Form of Protest 24:54

1M ago24:54

24:54

"And now for something completely different..." In a world flooded with outrage and anxiety, taking stock of the good isn’t naive—it’s necessary. Corey shifts the lens from polarization and pessimism to the power of thankfulness. Amid a flood of bad news and anxiety about the state of democracy, Corey invites listeners to pause and consider what’s …