Best Lerer Podcasts (2025)

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Your Most and Least Favorite Seasons 8:20

Play Pause

2h ago8:20

8:20

As fall has begun (not that you'd know it from the weather around here), listeners call in to share what their most and least favorite seasons are, and why.By WNYC

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Big Changes Coming to the H-1B Visa Program 27:31

2h ago27:31

27:31

Jorge Loweree, managing director of programs and strategy at the American Immigration Council, talks about the changes the Trump Administration has instituted for the H-1B visa program, and what it might mean for foreign workers and the companies that hire them.By WNYC

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Mayor's Race Update: Eric Adams Withdraws 26:32

8h ago26:32

26:32

Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC, talks about Mayor Adams' withdrawal from the mayor's race and how that affects the contest.By WNYC

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30 Issues in 30 Days: Taxing the Wealthy in New York State 47:45

12h ago47:45

47:45

New York State Senator Jabari Brisport (D, WF, 25th Senate District), chair of Committee on Children And Families, and New York State Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny (R, C, Coney Island, Bay Ridge), talk about Zohran Mamdani's proposal to tax corporations and the 1% in New York State to pay for programs to support working class New Yorkers and the…

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: Free Speech and Our Politics; Bill McKibben; Conversion 1:19:42

3d ago1:19:42

1:19:42

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. One perspective on free speech in our politics, from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression CEO Greg Lukianoff (First) | Environmental activist and journalist Bill McKibben reflects on his life's work (Starts at 25:25) | Listeners on their religious conversions (Starts …

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Pain Management in Pregnancy 16:22

4d ago16:22

16:22

On Monday, President Donald Trump warned pregnant women not to take Tylenol, claiming without evidence that it was a cause of autism. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and vice chair of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee of Obstetrics, breaks down what…

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30 Issues in 30 Days: Rent Regulation 1:01:20

4d ago1:01:20

1:01:20

Greg David, contributor covering fiscal and economic issues for THE CITY and director of the business and economics reporting program and Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, and Patrick Spauster, City Limits housing and homelessness reporter, talk about Mamdani's proposed rent freeze and Andrew Cuomo's cal…

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Fighting Fascism with Education 32:34

3d ago32:34

32:34

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the author of Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy (Thesis, 2025), talks about her new book and explains why she says education protects democracy.By WNYC

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Thursday Morning Shutdown Politics 43:39

5d ago43:39

43:39

The prospect of a government shutdown is growing as Democrats are threatening to not help Republicans on the Hill pass a spending bill by the September 30 deadline. Deirdre Walsh, congressional correspondent for NPR's Washington Desk, talks about the politics of the potential shutdown and related news from Congress.…

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A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change 37:51

5d ago37:51

37:51

Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book, and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.…

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30 Issues in 30 Days: Affordable Housing in New Jersey 27:28

5d ago27:28

27:28

As part of the election series "30 Issues in 30 Days," Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering the New Jersey governor's race and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023), talks about the issue of too little affordable housing in New Jersey, including court-req…

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30 Issues in 30 Days: Climate and Energy in New Jersey 24:37

5d ago24:37

24:37

Ry Rivard, reporter covering regional infrastructure for Politico, looks at the gubernatorial candidates' positions on climate change and energy policies in New Jersey.By WNYC

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Changing Your Name 10:47

5d ago10:47

10:47

In a new memoir, Yusuf Islam, also known as the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, writes about how he converted his faith and changed his name after a near-death experience. Listeners call in to share stories of why they changed their name, other than marriage.By WNYC

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'Free Speech For Me, But Not For Thee' 25:00

6d ago25:00

25:00

Greg Lukianoff, attorney, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the author of several books on free speech, offers his thoughts on how he says both the political left and right weaponize crackdowns on speech, and why he thinks that is a problem for everyone's rights.…

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City Politics: Free Speech; School Bathrooms; Endorsements and Non-Endorsements 48:39

6d ago48:39

48:39

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the mayoral campaign trail, including an off-and-back-on-again town hall; growing frustration from some over Sen. Schumer's refusal to endorse Zohran Mamdani; a potential fight brewing over charter schools; and Mayor Adams's comments about bathrooms and gender identity.…

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Developing Nations Face Climate Change 28:32

7d ago28:32

28:32

David Gelles, reporter on the New York Times climate team and the Times’s Climate Forward newsletter and author of Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away (Simon & Schuster, 2025), talks about New York City Climate Week and the challenge of several developing nations who are facing the challenge…

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30 Issues in 30 Days: NYC Ballot Initiatives on Housing 25:04

6d ago25:04

25:04

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, explains NYC’s three ballot proposals on streamlining the housing construction process.By WNYC

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Saris in New York 17:02

7d ago17:02

17:02

Salonee Bhaman, co-curator for "The New York Sari: A Journey Through Tradition, Fashion, and Identity" at The New York Historical and curatorial scholar at the Center for Women's History at The New York Historical, and S. Mitra Kalita, co-founder of URL Media and CEO and publisher of Epicenter-NYC, talk about the exhibition at The New York Historic…

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Vaccine Status and Other Public Health News 39:19

7d ago39:19

39:19

Chelsea Cirruzzo, Washington correspondent for STAT News, talks about the White House press conference on autism, acetaminophen, and immunizations, plus the results of last week's meeting of the federal advisory committee on vaccines, and the confusion over federal, state and local public health rules.…

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UNGA Preview 36:53

8d ago36:53

36:53

Richard Gowan, International Crisis Group's director of UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, shares what to expect at the UN General Assembly, including what President Trump may say in his Tuesday address, the war in Gaza and other crises and the role of the United Nations globally.By WNYC

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Changing Your Faith 15:50

8d ago15:50

15:50

In a new memoir, Yusuf Islam, also known as the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, writes about how converted his faith after a near-death experience. Listeners call in to share what has prompted them to change their faith.By WNYC

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30 Issues in 30 Days: Sanctuary Laws in NYC and NJ 57:21

8d ago57:21

57:21

Daniel Di Martino, fellow at the Manhattan Institute whose research focuses on immigration, and Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, debate the issues around sanctuary laws in the New York City mayor's race and the New Jersey governor's election.By WNYC

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: Changing Elections; AI & Jobs; Family Language 1:27:56

10d ago1:27:56

1:27:56

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. How Trump May Be Changing the Elections Process (First) | AI in the Job Market (Starts at 51:0 0) | Your Family's 'Secret Language' (Starts at 1:18:00) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.…

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Warnings From an AI Doomsayer 25:43

11d ago25:43

25:43

Nate Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and the co-author (with Eliezer Yudkowsky) of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All (Little, Brown and Company, 2025), talks about why he worries that AI "superintelligence" will lead to catastrophic outcomes, and what safeguards he recommends to…

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What's So Great About New York? 10:23

11d ago10:23

10:23

A new Siena poll shows a (slight) majority of New Yorkers said the state is on the right track, while 59% of respondents thought the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction. New Yorkers call in to share what they think is going well in the state compared to the rest of the country.By WNYC

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1
The Brian Lehrer Show

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1
Thrillist: Meet the Innovators

Apple Inc.

1
The Road Untraveled: VC Perspectives with Brian Hollins

Brian Hollins

1
Seed to Harvest

Paige Finn Doherty

1
Your Most and Least Favorite Seasons 8:20

1
Big Changes Coming to the H-1B Visa Program 27:31

1
Mayor's Race Update: Eric Adams Withdraws 26:32

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: Taxing the Wealthy in New York State 47:45

1
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Free Speech and Our Politics; Bill McKibben; Conversion 1:19:42

1
Pain Management in Pregnancy 16:22

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: Rent Regulation 1:01:20

1
Fighting Fascism with Education 32:34

1
Thursday Morning Shutdown Politics 43:39

1
A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change 37:51

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: Affordable Housing in New Jersey 27:28

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: Climate and Energy in New Jersey 24:37

1
Changing Your Name 10:47

1
'Free Speech For Me, But Not For Thee' 25:00

1
City Politics: Free Speech; School Bathrooms; Endorsements and Non-Endorsements 48:39

1
Developing Nations Face Climate Change 28:32

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: NYC Ballot Initiatives on Housing 25:04

1
Saris in New York 17:02

1
Vaccine Status and Other Public Health News 39:19

1
UNGA Preview 36:53

1
Changing Your Faith 15:50

1
30 Issues in 30 Days: Sanctuary Laws in NYC and NJ 57:21

1
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Changing Elections; AI & Jobs; Family Language 1:27:56

1
Warnings From an AI Doomsayer 25:43

1
What's So Great About New York? 10:23