Best Walter Samuel Podcasts (2025)

A decade ago, the actor Tom Pelphrey couldn’t have imagined the shape his life would take today: a father to a two-year-old daughter, starring in the new HBO series Task alongside Mark Ruffalo, and engaged to actress Kaley Cuoco. He was gripped by alcoholism and dissociation, having spent years working long, demanding days on the soap opera Guiding…

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Trade Wars, Class Wars & Globalization: Unpacking The Truth About Trade (featuring David Autor & Marc Palen) 47:52

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5d ago47:52

47:52

In this kickoff to our special series on trade, Nick and Goldy unpack why trade policy isn’t just about tariffs and treaties—it’s about people, power, and priorities. For decades, the prevailing narrative has been that trade benefits everyone by lowering prices. But the real question is: who does it help, and who does it hurt? From the false promis…

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73) The Harrison Railroad Strike Part 2: The Violence Escalates 1:19:37

3d ago1:19:37

1:19:37

The conclusion of the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad strike in Harrison, Arkansas. It gets pretty dark

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Gene Simmons: The Demon Loves His Mom 1:00:47

12d ago1:00:47

1:00:47

If Gene Simmons’ hard exterior scared you off, it did its job. As a founding member of the band KISS, Gene has spent decades putting on what he calls a persona, and today it comes off — at least a little. We talk about Gene’s journey, including being raised by a single, adoring mother, the origins of KISS, and why Ozzy Osbourne’s down-to-earth deme…

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Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers (with Mark Blyth) 39:02

1h ago39:02

39:02

Political economist Mark Blyth joins Nick and Goldy to unpack the myths and realities of rising prices, from pandemic supply shocks and corporate profiteering to central-bank missteps and decades of bad economic theory. Drawing from his new book Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers, Blyth explains why some narratives fall flat, why others reveal…

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The Lyndon B. Johnson Years 27:06

1d ago27:06

27:06

Irrevocably tied to the tragedy of the Vietnam War, President Lyndon Johnson’s political legacy is also marked by his radical push to reimagine American life. Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Caro, author of The Power Broker and The Years of Lyndon Johnson, explores how Johnson pushed Congress to establish Medicare, Medicaid, and historic civil rights …

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72) The Harrison Railroad Strike Part 1: The Strike Begins 1:10:35

3d ago1:10:35

1:10:35

One of America's longest railroad strikes took place in The Ozarks and you've probably never heard about it. Maybe privatizing public goods isn't the best idea. We also read a couple listener emails

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Check It Out: Building a Legacy with Tisha Campbell (Legacy Talk) 53:23

19d ago53:23

53:23

Hey, Fail Better listeners — here’s a great show I think you should know about: Legacy Talk, hosted by the Emmy-winning writer, actor, and producer Lena Waithe. It’s a part of the Lemonada network, and it’s kicking off a second season of incredible episodes featuring trailblazing Black artists and makers. You’re about to hear the first episode of s…

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Back to Basics Series: Homo Economicus Must Die (with Samuel Bowles) 32:34

7d ago32:34

32:34

What if the relentless drive to maximize personal gain isn't human nature, but just a flawed model we built? In this Back-to-Basics episode, behavioral economist Samuel Bowles helps us lay homo economicus—the myth of the perfectly rational, self-interested actor—six feet under. He shows how this caricature not only misrepresents human behavior, but…

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71) A History of Corn Cob Pipes 36:41

19d ago36:41

36:41

We look at corn cob pipes, from their patenting in the northern Missouri Ozarks, to a small day to day look at a former factory in Everton, Arkansas

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Amanda Knox’s Story Isn’t Over 1:07:25

26d ago1:07:25

1:07:25

Amanda Knox was a young student in a foreign country when she was thrust into an international media firestorm, accused — and then ultimately acquitted — of the murder of her roommate. Now an author and public speaker, she’s the executive producer of the new scripted drama “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox”, an attempt to finally tell her story on h…

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Back to Basics Series: Is the American Dream a Lie? (with Christian Cooper and Khiara Bridges) 42:47

26d ago42:47

42:47

The promise of the American Dream—work hard, play by the rules, and you’ll get ahead—is unraveling before our eyes. In this Back-to-Basics episode, Christian H. Cooper and law professor Khiara Bridges join Nick and Goldy to posit whether economic mobility has ever truly existed, or if the system was rigged from the start. As wages stagnate, homeown…

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70) The Branson Cross 58:21

24d ago58:21

58:21

The life story of B. Dean Brown and the Branson Cross

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A WALTS Special Report: That New Racist Commune in the Arkansas Ozarks 29:23

29d ago29:23

29:23

We discuss the New York Times article that was released today about that racist intentional community near Ravenden, Arkansas that's trying to expand into Missouri and across elsewhere in the South

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The Pitfalls of Manhood with Terry Real 1:00:25

1M ago1:00:25

1:00:25

I should’ve known I was in for a revelatory conversation when I met with the family therapist Terry Real. He pioneered a book on male depression in the ‘90s, and he’s been helping countless people break through mental and relational barriers in the years since. I start the conversation by inquiring about how Terry knew he would be good at this work…

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Back to Basics Series: How Monopolies Feed Plutocracy (with Matt Stoller) 31:58

22d ago31:58

31:58

When a few giants dominate the economy, democracy is the first to go. In this back-to-basics episode, author and anti-monopoly expert Matt Stoller unpacks how concentrated corporate power doesn’t just warp markets—it tilts the political playing field toward plutocracy. Drawing from his book Goliath, Stoller shows how corporate giants from banks to …

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The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote (RE-RELEASE) 27:21

1M ago27:21

27:21

Please enjoy this re-release of a past episode of For the Ages. New episodes will return Fall 2025. The women’s suffrage movement was a hard-fought, decades-long campaign to extend that most essential of democratic rights to all Americans regardless of sex. That protracted struggle would rapidly come to a head in August of 1920 in Tennessee, the fi…

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69) The Monster of Peter Bottom Cave 31:03

1M ago31:03

31:03

The story of a Bigfoot-type monster supposedly near War Eagle, Arkansas

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An Hour with Melissa Febos About a Year Without Sex 1:02:14

1M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

Memoirists do the generous work of letting us into their lives, and then there are ones like Melissa Febos who also graciously entertain all the new questions their work inspires. Melissa lets me in on the elements of her life and experiences that I’m curious about, from people’s reaction to her job as a dominatrix (as documented in her book Whipsm…

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Back to Basics Series: Does the Market Really Pay You What You’re Worth? (with Marshall Steinbaum and Saru Jayaraman) 50:51

1M ago50:51

50:51

We’ve all heard the story: In a fair market, workers are paid exactly what they’re worth. Economists even have a name for it—marginal productivity theory. It’s neat, simple…and completely wrong. In this Back-to-Basics episode, economist Marshall Steinbaum and labor leader Saru Jayaraman dismantle the myth that the market fairly rewards labor. Stein…

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68) The Cobra Scare with Beyond the Breakers 1:51:04

1M ago1:51:04

1:51:04

In a podcast first, we have guests in the wonderful Beyond the Breakers podcast. Normally ones to focus on shipwrecks and maritime disasters, we pull them onto land and discuss one of the wackiest incidents in Springfield, Missouri history, The Cobra Scare.

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Jess Walter Can Hoop (and Write) 1:08:30

2M ago1:08:30

1:08:30

I’m coming to you live from Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, California, where I got to sit down with my friend, author Jess Walter. We chatted in front of a packed house (including a few friendly dogs) and now we’re sharing that event with the rest of you. Jess is not only my go-to buddy to text about all things basketball; he’s an accomplished nov…

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Back to Basics Series: The Velocity of Money (with Ann Pettifor) 42:30

1M ago42:30

42:30

If you’ve ever wondered why the economy feels stuck, even when it seems like there's a lot more money in the system, this episode will blow your mind. Political economist Ann Pettifor joins Nick and Goldy to explain why money isn't flowing like it used to, and why that matters. Over the last century, the velocity of money (how quickly a dollar circ…

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Justice Deferred: Race and the Supreme Court (RE-RELEASE) 28:17

2M ago28:17

28:17

Please enjoy this re-release of a past episode of For the Ages. New episodes will return Fall 2025. While the Supreme Court is often presented in American history as a protector of civil liberties, its record across the centuries provides a more complex picture. While the short period of the 1930s to the 1970s saw the Court end segregation and safe…

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67) The Harmonial Vegetarian Society 45:35

2M ago45:35

45:35

The tale of a vegetarian religious sect (called the Grass Eaters by locals, accidentally left out of the script) that set up shop in the pre-Civil War rural Arkansas Ozarks. We have a Patreon, an Instagram, a Bluesky

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Tim Minchin’s Infinite Universes 52:38

2M ago52:38

52:38

The musician (-comedian-actor-composer-director-Californication guest star) Tim Minchin is an aspirational figure. He brings an unmatched level of precision and thoughtfulness to conversations, whether he’s discussing word play or the Catholic church. And he extends that scrutiny to his concepts of success and failure, which I welcome. Tim and I si…

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Back to Basics Series: Is Economics Moral? (with Heather McGhee) 35:57

1M ago35:57

35:57

For decades, orthodox economics has treated morality as irrelevant—as if economic decisions happen in a vacuum, separate from our values and social bonds. But that approach has failed spectacularly, giving cover to policies that divide and exploit us. In this episode, Heather McGhee joins Nick and Paul to argue that morality must be central to how …

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66) Damascus, Arkansas: Speed Trap 32:27

2M ago32:27

32:27

We discuss the history of Damascus, Arkansas and the time they got in trouble for issuing too many speed tickets

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The Family Business with Robert Downey Jr. 56:24

2M ago56:24

56:24

The spotlight has certainly taken its toll on Robert Downey Jr. over the years. But much like his beloved MCU character Tony Stark, there's an undeniably powerful force inside Robert that keeps him pushing forward. When we sat down over iced coffees, we found ourselves unpacking the fraught relationship Robert had with his father — the experimental…

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Back to Basics Series: Where does economic growth really come from? (with W. Brian Arthur and Cesar Hidalgo) 46:51

2M ago46:51

46:51

Is economic growth just about money, trade, and GDP? Or is something deeper at play? In this episode, economist W. Brian Arthur and physicist Cesar Hidalgo join Nick and Goldy to reveal the real drivers of rising prosperity: human knowledge, know‑how, and innovation. They challenge the old assumptions of growth and argue that innovation isn't a byp…

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The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race 27:23

2M ago27:23

27:23

Please enjoy this re-release of a past episode of For the Ages. New episodes will return Fall 2025. Bestselling author Walter Isaacson, in conversation with David M. Rubenstein, discusses the life and work of the Nobel Prize-winning Jennifer Doudna who, with her collaborators, created a DNA-editing tool with the power to revolutionize human health.…

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65) Walter Majors // The Easter Lynchings of 1906 1:10:28

2M ago1:10:28

1:10:28

This episode involves a dark and heavy topic, with our first coverage of a lynching in The Ozarks. The primary focus this week is the life Walter Majors, an African American inventor from Springfield, Missouri, but we also discuss the Easter Lynchings of 1906, one of countless lynchings in The Ozarks between 1890-1910, and its lasting impact on the…

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What Jake Clark Wants You To Know About Trauma 56:23

2M ago56:23

56:23

Jake Clark is an unexpected hero. As the founder of the Save a Warrior program for veterans and first responders, he helps those suffering from post-traumatic stress uncover the core of their pain, which often stems from trauma that came before combat or violence. His work has led to surprising breakthroughs for many people, mirroring his own journ…

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Back to Basics Series: Is Econ 101 a Lie? (with Eric Beinhocker and James Kwak) 39:29

2M ago39:29

39:29

Trickle-downers love to pretend that "Econ 101" is a convincing argument against policies like the minimum wage that invest in working Americans. But the truth is that mainstream economists are terrible at predicting how the economy will behave in the future…Is Econ 101 broken? In this key foundational episode for the podcast, we dismantle the myth…

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64) The 1974 Ozark Music Festival 1:00:11

2M ago1:00:11

1:00:11

The story of music festival at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in.. Sedalia of all places?

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A Forensic Analysis with Emily Deschanel 59:09

3M ago59:09

59:09

Emily Deschanel spent over a decade portraying the brilliant and meticulous forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan on the hit crime procedural Bones. Yet, what many viewers never knew about was her personal battle behind that confident performance: diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at a young age, Emily often struggled to master the intricat…

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Back to Basics Series: What the hell are they talking about? Econ terms explained! (with Nick and Goldy) 14:48

3M ago14:48

14:48

Ever find yourself halfway through a Pitchfork Economics episode thinking, “Wait… what’s a monopsony?” You’re not alone. In this listener-favorite episode, Nick and Goldy break down some of the most important—and most misunderstood—economic terms we use on the show. From ‘neoclassical’ and ‘neoliberal’ to ‘monopoly’, ‘monopsony,’ ‘stock buybacks,’ …

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One Nation Under God: A History of Religion in America (RE-RELEASE) 26:56

3M ago26:56

26:56

Please enjoy this re-release of a past episode of For the Ages. New episodes will return Fall 2025. Enshrined in our Constitution and etched into our currency, religion is inextricable from the fabric of American political and social life. The ubiquity of religion in our national history has also made it an elusive, at times contradictory, force in…

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63) Isaac Murphy Part 3 & 4: Post-War & Reconstruction 58:46

3M ago58:46

58:46

The conclusion of our Isaac Murphy series, in one episode instead of two. A major focus of the episode is on Reconstruction, and we only barely scratch the surface of it's importance, both then and now

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Check It Out: The Disappearance of Eric Robinson (Uinta Triangle) 1:02:13

3M ago1:02:13

1:02:13

For the Fourth of July holiday, we’re taking you on a getaway of sorts. It’s one that brings you to the beautiful mountains of New Zealand… but is decidedly less relaxing than a summer vacation. Today we’re sharing the first episode of a new podcast called Uinta Triangle, which documents the disappearance of a solo hiker named Eric Robinson. It’s a…

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Back to Basics Series: Why do we call it Pitchfork Economics? (with Ganesh Sitaraman & Walter Scheidel) 33:16

3M ago33:16

33:16

In 2014, Nick Hanauer sounded the alarm: if economic inequality kept growing, the pitchforks would come—for him, and for the rest of America’s wealthy elite. Then 2016 happened. Donald Trump was elected president on a wave of economic populism that correctly identified massive inequality as a problem, but which offered all the wrong solutions. The …

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62) Isaac Murphy Part 2: Governor Harris Flanagin 39:17

3M ago39:17

39:17

An episode on Harris Flanagin, the Governor of Arkansas prior to Isaac Murphy. A Civil War heavy episode. Ray also commits a cardinal podcasting sin by eating ice on mic. You've been warned

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The Truth About Immigration and the American Worker (with Rogé Karma) 39:13

3M ago39:13

39:13

Conventional wisdom says immigration drives down wages and takes jobs from American workers. But what if that story is fueled by bad economics? Journalist Rogé Karma joins Nick and Goldy to challenge the Econ 101 logic that supercharges anti-immigrant rhetoric—and to explain what the data actually shows. Drawing on research from the U.S., Denmark, …

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Truth and Lies with James Frey 53:47

3M ago53:47

53:47

In his aimless youth, the author James Frey yearned to be the Sex Pistols of literature. Then he learned to be careful what you wish for. His memoir, A Million Little Pieces, shot to the top of bestseller lists, thanks in part to Oprah's endorsement. Then fact-checkers unmasked its fabrications, and James found himself being more of an outcast than…

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America’s Ongoing Reconstruction 27:11

3M ago27:11

27:11

Lasting from 1865 to 1877, Reconstruction in the American South was an aspirational endeavor that brought with it newly enshrined rights for Black Americans, including Black male suffrage, birthright citizenship, and equal protection under the law, as well as the hope of national reconciliation. Despite early progress in education and government, l…

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61) Isaac Murphy Part 1: "I therefore vote no" 1:17:11

3M ago1:17:11

1:17:11

We are back to our Governors of Arkansas series and focus on Isaac Murphy, Arkansas's lone vote against secession and Arkansas's most defensible governor.

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From “Junkie Doctor” to Addiction Specialist with Dr. Jason Giles 1:01:30

3M ago1:01:30

1:01:30

Dr. Jason Giles is an addiction specialist and a helper and friend to many, including me. When the rigors of life in the ER became too much to cope with, Jason turned to the very narcotics he was trained to supply to patients as a trauma anesthesiologist. As his successful life disintegrated, he was forced to face his own doubts and delusions, and …

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America Adrift: Inequality, Power, and the Fight to Fix It (with Scott Galloway) 45:14

3M ago45:14

45:14

With inequality rising, housing out of reach, and young Americans falling further behind, some argue the American Dream is dead. But NYU professor Scott Galloway has a different take: America hasn’t fallen—it’s adrift. Originally recorded in late 2022, this episode features a candid conversation about what’s really hollowed out the middle class: ge…

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60) David Leong & Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken 53:18

3M ago53:18

53:18

The life story of David Leong, a Chinese-born Ozarks icon, and his legacy, Springfield-style cashew chicken.