Best Adam Claus Podcasts (2025)

1
Nim Shapira: Torn Between Empathy and Erasure 31:42

Play Pause

3h ago31:42

31:42

Filmmaker Nim Shapira discusses Torn, his documentary on the hostage posters put up—and torn down—across New York after October 7th. He reflects on free speech, empathy, and why erasing someone else’s pain won’t shorten a war. Also: a protest in Nepal over a social media ban topples the prime minister. Plus: Israel’s strikes on Hamas leaders in Qat…

1
The Sideshow Theme Show #12 – Stabby Strings 36:07

1h ago36:07

36:07

This week – on the Spooky Season debut of The Sideshow Theme Show, Will and Lasse dive headfirst into one of the most iconic pieces of film music ever written: Bernard Herrmann’s “Prelude” from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. We talk about how Herrmann’s bold choice to score Hitchcock’s thriller entirely with strings created a sound world that was stark…

1
The Sideshow Theme Show #12 – Stabby Strings

1h ago

—

This week – on the Spooky Season debut of The Sideshow Theme Show, Will and Lasse dive headfirst into one of the most iconic pieces of film music ever written: Bernard Herrmann’s “Prelude” from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. We talk about how Herrmann’s bold choice to score Hitchcock’s thriller entirely with strings created a sound world that was stark…

1
Christine Wenc: The Onion’s Straight Face Made It Funnier 28:48

8h ago28:48

28:48

Christine Wenc joins to discuss Funny Because It’s True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire, recalling its Wisconsin roots, AP-style discipline, and newsroom battles over absurd details. She traces the paper’s arc from gas-station rent money to online cult influence, and the tension between preachiness and bite. Plus, the Ambazonian …

1
Immigration, Nuance, and a Leonhardt Vault Cut 31:46

3d ago31:46

31:46

It’s the Saturday Show: one from the week, one from the vault. Mike revisits his take on immigration—spurred by a CNN piece and a Pesca Profundities post—arguing the media too often flattens a hard issue into easy labels. Courts have now allowed parts of Trump’s approach, forcing a distinction between “shameful” and “unconstitutional.” From the vau…

1
Mike Hayes on Purpose, Grit, and Mission 38:45

3d ago38:45

38:45

Today on The Gist. Trump’s push to rebrand the Pentagon as the “Department of War”. Then a full-length interview with Mike Hayes—former commanding officer of SEAL Team 2, White House Fellow, and author of Mission Driven: The Path to a Life of Purpose. Hayes lays out how to define the “who” before the “what,” why 1% better beats overnight breakthrou…

1
Inside 'tense' Storm coaching box | Riccio begs NRL for daytime Grand Final | Code NRL 21:13

5d ago21:13

21:13

In this edition of the Code NRL Show, Brent Read and Dave Riccio dive into the finals, Dave pleads with the NRL to make the Grand Final a daytime event, and Ready brings us inside the 'tense' Storm coaching box in an exclusive with Craig Bellamy. Read more at: https://www.codesports.com.au/ 🎧 Full episode on YouTube, Spotify and Apple See omnystudi…

1
Not Even Mad: Galen Druke and Josh Barro 49:47

4d ago49:47

49:47

Today on The Gist: It’s Not Even Mad. Mike Pesca welcomes Galen Druke and Josh Barro for a sharp yet civil debate on Trump’s immigration strategy, crime, and the charge of creeping autocracy. They weigh whether cruelty brings Trump political advantage, how Democrats should frame their response, and what “autocracy makes you poor” really means for v…

1
Miles Taylor on Resistance Cascades, Rubio’s Turn, and Testing the Judiciary 35:15

7d ago35:15

35:15

Former DHS official Miles Taylor, author of the “Anonymous” op-ed, returns to discuss Trump’s second term agenda, the courts, and the missing “axis of adults.” Pesca opens with a theory on why deportees landed in Eswatini, then closes with a spiel on the immigration conundrum: border deterrence versus humane policy. Taylor explains “permission stru…

1
Ex-DHS Chief Miles Taylor: Trump, Treason, and Executive Power 36:41

8d ago36:41

36:41

Trump health rumors, media scrutiny, and what counts as news kick off the show before a wide-ranging interview with Miles Taylor—former DHS Chief of Staff and author of Blowback—about the April 2025 White House memo labeling him “treasonous,” the threats that followed, alleged blacklisting, and how executive power can be bent to punish speech. We d…

1
I was Raised in a Contemporary Cult! The Jove Meyer Story 51:16

7d ago51:16

51:16

Internationally acclaimed wedding planner Jove Meyer shares his powerful journey - from walking away from a contemporary cult and an arranged marriage after coming out, to building one of the most inclusive and nationally recognized wedding businesses. In this episode, he opens up about finding love, why a prenup strengthened his marriage, and his …

1
Score Guide – Hocus Pocus (1993) 2:29:50

7d ago2:29:50

2:29:50

Sideshow Sound Radio is back for a brand-new season — and we’re kicking things off in true Halloween style! Join your hosts Wend and Will as they light the Black Flame Candle and dive broom-first into John Debney’s bewitching score for Hocus Pocus. From its mischievous motifs and spooky orchestrations to its heartwarming magic, we’ll guide you thro…

1
Score Guide – Hocus Pocus (1993)

7d ago

—

Sideshow Sound Radio is back for a brand-new season — and we’re kicking things off in true Halloween style! Join your hosts Wend and Will as they light the Black Flame Candle and dive broom-first into John Debney’s bewitching score for Hocus Pocus. From its mischievous motifs and spooky orchestrations to its heartwarming magic, we’ll guide you thro…

1
$115K a Game?! The Rich List Names Not Living Up to the Hype | Code NRL 10:29

11d ago10:29

10:29

The NRL Richest 100 is out — and the numbers are wild. Is $1.2 million a year really value for Turbo or Ponga? Has Luai only just started earning his price tag — now that the Tigers have stopped treating him like a controlling half? Souths have 10 players on the list... but sit 12th on the ladder. That’s a roster imbalance that could become Wayne B…

1
Governor Wes Moore on Baltimore’s Historic Drop in Homicides, Plus Laura Loomer’s Lunacy 20:27

11d ago20:27

20:27

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has overseen one of the steepest homicide drops in America. Baltimore, long plagued by 300-plus murders a year, has seen killings fall more than 40 percent since 2023. In this archived conversation, Moore explains how a data-driven, all-of-the-above approach—boosting local police, investing in technology, and supporting …

1
Edward Wong: At the Edge of Empire, China, Family, and Power 33:59

10d ago33:59

33:59

New York Times correspondent Edward Wong has reported from Beijing to Baghdad, covering the rise of China and the reach of American power. In his new book At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning with China, Wong blends geopolitics with personal history, from his father’s time in Mao’s army to his own years navigating censorship and nationalism …

1
Nick Foster on How We Really Think About the Future 32:48

11d ago32:48

32:48

Mike Pesca examines the political spin after a Minnesota school shooting and the debate over trans identity and mass shootings. He then speaks with designer and futurist Nick Foster (Apple, Google, Dyson) about his new book Could Should Might Don’t: How We Think About the Future and why tech culture misunderstands futurism. Plus, a spiel on how RFK…

1
Hannay Can’t Repeat Des’ Mistakes | Panthers’ Risky Finals Theory | New Knights Coach? | CODE NRL 22:59

13d ago22:59

22:59

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Code Sports

1
Catherine de Medici, Part 1 1:30:10

14d ago1:30:10

1:30:10

As the last legitimate heir to a powerful family, Catherine de Medici was married at only 14 into one of the most powerful royal houses in Europe. The two halves of her story are VASTLY different, and here in Part 1, we are going to tell you about how she had no resources but INNER resources - and the character that developed from the circumstances…

1
Inside a Fat Camp named Shame 52:01

12d ago52:01

52:01

Donald Trump’s allies are weaponizing the machinery of government against opponents, eroding faith in American institutions. But does every abuse demand the “dictatorship” label? Mike weighs in on the rhetoric of tyranny, then turns to Camp Shame, a new podcast by Kelsey Snelling about the notorious weight loss retreat Camp Shane, its false promise…

1
Trump’s Mortgage Attacks and Kessler on Weight Loss 38:05

13d ago38:05

38:05

Trump has fired Fed governor Lisa Cook for lying on her mortgage, part of a broader pattern of using mortgage fraud as a political weapon while allies skate by. Former FDA head David Kessler joins again to explain how GLP-1 drugs reshape the fight against obesity and what they mean for health long term. In the Spiel, the spectacle of Laura Loomer’s…

1
David Kessler on Why Junk Food Is America’s Nicotine 41:01

14d ago41:01

41:01

Today on The Gist, the Trump administration’s lowering of FBI recruitment standards, where irony gives way to petty tyranny. Former FDA Commissioner David Kessler joins to discuss his new book Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine and his petition urging the FDA to strip refined carbohydrates of their “generally recognized as safe” status. Kessler explains why…

1
Trump’s Long Game and Miles Taylor’s Warning 31:46

17d ago31:46

31:46

Mike revisits an old worry: Trump’s policies are built for payoffs far beyond his term—and that’s a problem for a man who won’t share credit. From tariffs to civil service purges, the risks linger. To set the stage, we go back to a 2018 interview with Miles Taylor, once “Anonymous,” whose warnings still resonate as he returns with his new book Blow…

1
The Working Class Party with the Post-Graduate Jargon 54:12

19d ago54:12

54:12

McKenzie Wilson of Blue Rose Research joins to dissect Democrats’ branding failures, from alienating language to ignoring cost-of-living pain. She explains why Gen Z may be drifting rightward, why “when we all vote we win” no longer holds, Plus: Trump’s doomed “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center, shut down not for human-rights abuses but for thre…

1
Not Even Mad: Rikki Schlott and Isaac Saul 1:01:13

18d ago1:01:13

1:01:13

New York Post columnist Rikki Schlott and Tangle founder Isaac Saul join Mike to discuss policing Washington, D.C.—who's in charge, who gets blamed, and why federal takeover is more problem multiplier than solution. Then: scalpel or a chainsaw on the syllabus for higher ed. Plus, using the concept of toxic empathy to explain both a recidivist subwa…

1
He Took Everything I'd Worked for Since I was 17! The Exclusive Ashley Alexiss Tell-All 1:28:19

19d ago1:28:19

1:28:19

After garnering millions of followers on Instagram, supermodel Ashley Alexiss faced rejection, a painful divorce, and the devastating loss of her father. But instead of letting it break her, she turned her setbacks into strength...building Alexiss Swimwear into a multi-million-dollar brand, redefining beauty standards, and discovering a new love st…

1
Rating DCE and Ben Hunt’s careers | Which club is ‘master of the dark arts’? | Josh Papali’i’s future | CODE NRL 28:30

21d ago28:30

28:30

With Daly Cherry-Evans and Ben Hunt set to play their 350th NRL games on the same weekend, who has had a better career and do both deserve to enter the Hall of Fame? The tactics players are using to bend the rules on the eve of the finals is under the microscope, plus the latest on Josh Papali'i and Sandon Smith's futures in the Rumour Mill. See om…

1
CryptoDad’s Pirate Clause: Reviving Letters of Marque 32:47

21d ago32:47

32:47

Christopher Giancarlo—former CFTC chair and known as “CryptoDad”—joins to explain why the U.S. should build a crypto reserve, just like oil or gold. He recalls a White House summit that treated digital assets with the pomp of a state visit—and unveils a swashbuckling plan to revive the Constitution’s old letters of marque to hunt today’s digital pi…

1
Rent-Stabilized and City-Run: Mamdani Rises as Rivals Flail 42:34

20d ago42:34

42:34

Harry Siegel joins to break down the chaotic New York mayoral race, where Zohran Mamdani looks like the presumptive next mayor but hasn’t been fully tested. Siegel warns that old tweets, rent-stabilized housing, and city-run grocery promises could become liabilities once federal pressure mounts. Plus, Trump’s trade war bets on an eight-to-eleven-ye…

1
Katja Hoyer on Germany’s AFD and the Limits of Calling Someone a Nazi 28:59

23d ago28:59

28:59

Today on The Gist, the Texas Democrats’ walk-out, a dramatic gesture that ultimately did little because they never had the leverage to win. From there he zooms out to Europe, where far-right parties are suddenly topping polls in France, the UK, and now Germany. Historian Katja Hoyer joins to explain what’s behind the AFD’s rise and why calling them…

1
The Spiel Saturday Show 23:53

24d ago23:53

23:53

Today on The Gist we air two spiels from earlier in the week. One about the CDC shooting in Atlanta and then one about Matt Taibbi's murder stat takedown of D.C backfires. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠htt…

1
The Cheesecake Factory Model of Freedom 34:32

24d ago34:32

34:32

In The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life, Sophia Rosenfeld traces how choice evolved from secret ballots and dance cards to consumer overload and political battlegrounds. She also dissects ihow the pro-choice movement’s framing was both a strength and a vulnerability. Also, Trump’s murder-rate comparison between D.C., Bogotá, and M…

1
When the Train to Hell Runs on Time 40:26

25d ago40:26

40:26

Aziz Huq, author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, explains how liability insurers shape policing in small towns, why “rights versus rights” conflicts—from same-sex marriage to police brutality—often hinge on public trust, and how Chicago’s low murder clearance rate reflects deep distrust of law enforcement. He analyzes the Supreme Court’…

1
Rights You Can’t Use 36:41

26d ago36:41

36:41

Aziz Huq, University of Chicago law professor and author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, lays out how federal courts have gutted the mechanisms for enforcing constitutional rights—blocking individuals harmed by police while greenlighting speculative corporate attacks on regulation. Also, Donald Trump crowns himself de facto CEO of the U…

1
My Parents have been Married Over 11 Times! The Up & Adam Tell-All 1:41:15

26d ago1:41:15

1:41:15

What happens when a reality TV superfan meets a Cirque du Soleil performer during Pride weekend, and that chance encounter turns into 11 years of love, marriage, and building a media empire together? Adam Newell, creator of the hit Bravo-focused YouTube channel Up and Adam, and his husband Jason Berrent, a former Cirque du Soleil star, join us to s…

1
Penrith Can Rewrite History | Storm Can't Win Without Hughes | Raiders lack Depth for GF | CODE NRL 21:57

28d ago21:57

21:57

Penrith’s shot at rewriting history, why Melbourne can’t win without Jahrome Hughes, and whether the Raiders have the finals experience to win a Grand Final. Plus, the latest NRL talking points and insights from the CODE NRL team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Code Sports

1
Philadelphia 2025 Travelogue 1:28:30

28d ago1:28:30

1:28:30

It's field trip time again! We took 50 listeners with us to the cradle of our country - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the course of a long weekend, we absorbed the sites and stories we'd learned about in school, and learned about those figures whose vital contributions have faded over time. Through our exposure to the artifacts, places and peopl…

1
The Case for Good Anger 39:11

27d ago39:11

39:11

Samuel Parker, author of Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives, argues that suppressing anger fuels anxiety and that society’s overcorrection toward placidity has blunted a vital emotion. He traces its demotion from the Stoics to corporate HR, separates it from violence, and shows how to channel it into productive action. Plus, Donal…

1
Rebecca Lemov and the Instability of Truth 39:54

28d ago39:54

39:54

Harvard historian of science Rebecca Lemov joins to talk about her book The Instability of Truth, which dives deep into the history of mind control, from Cold War POW camps and MKUltra to the quieter persuasion of social media. They get into what really works (and doesn’t) when it comes to changing someone’s beliefs, why we’re all more suggestible …

1
Sarah Ruhl on Lessons from the Teachers Who Shaped Her 35:48

1M ago35:48

35:48

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has collected wisdom from her mentors, from Pulitzer winners to driving instructors, in her new book Lessons from My Teachers. She joins Mike to talk about the art of learning, the balance between control and letting go, writing obliquely about grief (sometimes through a dog’s eyes), and why you should thank the people who tau…

1
Peter Moskos on NYC’s Historic Crime Drop and the Lessons for Today 39:22

1M ago39:22

39:22

Homicides are down 14% from pre-pandemic levels and other major crimes have followed suit. But what can today’s drop teach us about the last great decline, the one that transformed New York in the 1990s? Mike talks with Peter Moskos, former Baltimore cop turned John Jay College professor, about his new book Back from the Brink, an oral history of t…

1
Steven Hahn Unmasks the Myth of Liberal America 37:10

1M ago37:10

37:10

Diplomacy via tweet rarely ends well, but US ambassadors are now flailing into their way through international tensions with sarcasm, memes, and zero restraint. Plus Steven Hahn, NYU historian and author of Illiberal America: A History, joins to unpack how liberalism has always shared the stage with its illiberal twin. From eugenics to temperance t…

1
How to Build a Financial Dream Team with Your Partner 46:28

1M ago46:28

46:28

In this episode, we sit down with Heather and Douglas Boneparth to dive into the intersection of love and money. From early money memories to navigating financial power shifts in a relationship, they share insights from their new book, Money Together, and offer actionable advice for couples wanting to build a fairer, more transparent financial futu…

1
Papenhuyzen’s Secret Clause | Eels and Souths' Bottom Club Rebuilds | Payten Under Fire | CODE NRL 27:53

1M ago27:53

27:53

Who gets to a Grand Final first: Souths or Eels and does Todd Payten have 5 games left as Cowboys' coach? Also on the show: – Rugby 360 raids — Up to 12 NRL stars sign letters of intent. – Big names linked: RTS, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Papenhuyzen. – Bottom club rebuilds — Who gets to a Grand Final first: Souths or Eels? – Halves musical chairs — Ho…

1
Not Her Type: E. Jean Carroll vs. The President 41:06

1M ago41:06

41:06

E. Jean Carroll joins to talk about the lawsuit she won, the president she sued, and the dressing room encounter that changed everything. The author of Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President opens up about the attack by Donald Trump, how she fought to be heard, and what it took—mentally and emotionally to face him in court. They talk trial prep, me…

1
High Stakes, Low Standards: America's Gambling Gamble 38:12

1M ago38:12

38:12

Jonathan D. Cohen, author of Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling, joins to explain why our national rush into online sports betting might be a bigger mess than we realize. They talk sketchy app rollouts, bad state deals, and how betting lines went from shady corners to college campus. Plus, why Malaysian women’s doubles badminton …

1
Pay to Play: The NCAA’s Big Payout Era Begins 35:29

1M ago35:29

35:29

The NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement doesn’t just change the rules—it rewrites the entire playbook. Mike talks with Gabe Feldman, director of Tulane’s Sports Law Program, about what happens now that schools can pay athletes directly. They get into how the money will be split, why Olympic sports are suddenly on the chopping block, and whether this new…

1
Puzzling The Puzzle Master on The Puzzler 38:59

1M ago38:59

38:59

Today on The Gist we air Mikes appearence on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.co…

1
The NIH vs. The New Grievance Politics 37:41

1M ago37:41

37:41

Former NIH director Elias Zerhouni reflects on the agency’s triumphs and shortcomings in light of his new memoir, Disease Knows No Politics. He defends the NIH’s legacy while addressing critiques from figures like current NIH head Jay Bhattacharya, and warns that proposed funding cuts could severely undermine scientific progress. Also: the decline …

1
Airborne Assumptions and Subventilated Science 45:38

1M ago45:38

45:38

Carl Zimmer joins to discuss Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, a book that excavates the forgotten science of airborne disease transmission—from Louis Pasteur’s broth experiments to why COVID’s airborne nature was dismissed by health authorities. Also : praise for the New York Times’ recent front-page study that honestly asses th…