Best Joe Ann Gray Podcasts (2025)

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Akala (rapper / poet / activist / author) • Friday Rewind 1:44:23

Play Pause

1d ago1:44:23

1:44:23

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Akala, originally episode 65 from 2015-10-28. Original writeup below: Pip and Akala cover lots in this in depth and honest chat, including the history of racism throughout Shakespearean text, the developm…

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Elections: From Mamdani to Trump (with Astead Herndon) 1:18:42

3d ago1:18:42

1:18:42

What can we learn from the rise of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani? This week, Vox Media’s newest addition Astead Herndon joins Preet Bharara to discuss political coverage in a shifting media landscape, what today’s kitchen table issues say about American politics, and the surprising similarities between Mamdani and Trump. Then, Preet answers …

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Craig Mazin: delivering script notes and dropping science on the small and big screen (Chernobyl / The Last Of Us / Scriptnotes Podcast) #643 1:14:56

4d ago1:14:56

1:14:56

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the incredible screenwriter, showrunner, producer and dungeon master CRAIG MAZIN! Craig is a self proclaimed Pipster! Which bodes incredibly well as an opening gambit right there... This is such a treat of an episode which anyone possessing an…

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Trump Admin Ramps Up Airstrikes (with Barb McQuade) 13:01

4d ago13:01

13:01

Are the U.S. airstrikes on alleged drug traffickers aboard vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific legal? Law professor and legal analyst Barb McQuade joins Preet to discuss in this excerpt from the Insider podcast. In the full episode, Preet and Barb break down President Trump’s lawsuit against the Justice Department and an appellate court’s deci…

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Armando Iannucci (The Death Of Stalin / In The Loop / Veep) • Friday Rewind 49:04

9d ago49:04

49:04

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Armando Iannucci, originally episode 174 from 2017-10-24. Original writeup below: Responsible for an insane amount of some of the greatest UK comedy since the 90's, including the writing and production of…

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Giving Up Is Unforgivable (with Joyce Vance) 1:02:01

9d ago1:02:01

1:02:01

How can we protect our democracy from President Trump’s overreach? Joyce Vance is a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, a law professor at the University of Alabama, author of the popular Substack newsletter Civil Discourse, co-host of the #SistersInLaw podcast, and Preet Bharara’s co-host on the CAFE Insider podcast. Now, sh…

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The Vindictiveness of Donald John Trump 11:45

11d ago11:45

11:45

Will Jim Comey succeed in seeking dismissal of his criminal charges? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the former FBI Director’s motion to dismiss his indictment citing the unlawful appointment of Lindsey Halligan as the Eastern District of Virginia’s interim U.S. Attorney. In the full episode, Pr…

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Dissecting Disfluency (w/ Cherry Burns) #641 1:11:12

11d ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip discusses the broad topic of disfluency with journalist CHERRY BURNS! Those of you familiar with Pip's Twitch channel and the community within might well be familiar with Cherry, but if not, all is well as here is your formal introduction! Although their r…

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Kevin Smith (Mallrats / Chasing Amy / Clerks) • Friday Rewind 49:58

16d ago49:58

49:58

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Kevin Smith, originally episode 302 from 2019-12-04. Original writeup below: SNOOCHIE BOOCHIES! What a joy this is… While it is a slightly shorter episode, Pip could hardly turn Kevin down now could he…? …

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Peace in the Middle East? (with Dan Senor) 1:16:13

17d ago1:16:13

1:16:13

A fragile but momentous ceasefire has taken effect in Israel’s two year war against Hamas, following the terror group’s brutal attack on October 7th. With hostages and prisoners exchanged and hostilities paused, the hard work of forging a lasting peace begins. Dan Senor, host of the Israeli news and politics podcast, “Call Me Back,” joins Preet to …

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Miranda Sawyer: contextualising the music scene of an entire decade (Uncommon People / Talk 90's To Me) #640 1:09:14

18d ago1:09:14

1:09:14

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by legendary writer, journalist, critic and cultural treasure MIRANDA SAWYER! A natural fit in the Distraction Pieces jigsaw, Miranda is someone who was pretty much destined to eventually join Pip for an episode. As a necessary firm fixture in mu…

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Action Bronson (rap music / acting / hosting / more...) • Friday Rewind 48:36

23d ago48:36

48:36

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Action Bronson, originally episode 347 from 2020-09-30. Original writeup below: There’s no doubt about it, Action has done a ton in the past decade and by the looks of it all, had a goddamn blast while do…

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The Rise, Rationale, and Reversal of Affirmative Action 1:13:42

24d ago1:13:42

1:13:42

The Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ended decades of race-conscious admissions in higher education. Supporters argue the ruling restores colorblind fairness, while critics warn it risks undoing decades of progress toward equal opportunity. On this week’s Stay Tuned with Preet, Yale Law Professor Justin Driver, au…

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Adam Buxton: put on your conversation coat and find your talking hat (Adam Buxton Podcast / Buckle Up / I Love You, Byeee) #639 1:23:09

25d ago1:23:09

1:23:09

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Vindictive Prosecution? Comey & Abrego Garcia 15:25

25d ago15:25

15:25

By Preet Bharara

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Spike Lee (Highest 2 Lowest / Do The Right Thing / Malcolm X) • Friday Rewind 37:26

30d ago37:26

37:26

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Spike Lee, originally episode 225 from 2018-08-24. Original writeup below: While Spike is getting his promotion grind on for his new film BlacKkKlansman (which you should make efforts to see as it’s just …

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Trump’s Plan for Gaza (with Antony Blinken) 1:09:35

1M ago1:09:35

1:09:35

Antony Blinken was the 71st Secretary of State, serving under President Joe Biden. As the nation’s top diplomat, he worked on restoring U.S. ties with allies and multilateral institutions following Trump’s first term. He also led U.S. aid responses in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack…

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Justin Tipping: you will see Him (Him / Kicks / Flatbush Misdemeanors) #638 46:47

1M ago46:47

46:47

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the bold and awesome director JUSTIN TIPPING! Maybe here and there you've heard rumblings not unlike the ones Pip cites up top on the intro, but in a time when creativity can even be treated and regarded as a rebellious and awesomely unique ac…

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Is the Comey Prosecution Fatally Flawed? 14:50

1M ago14:50

14:50

Is the Jim Comey indictment fatally flawed? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the weaknesses in the case against the former FBI Director, who was charged with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further discuss the Comey prosecu…

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James Comey Indicted 1:00:02

1M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. In this recording from a Substack livestream, Preet and Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney and co-host of the Insider podcast, share their reactions to th…

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Stephen Graham (Adolescence / Boiling Point / The Virtues) • Friday Rewind 1:35:59

1M ago1:35:59

1:35:59

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Stephen Graham, originally episode 87 from 2016-03-09. Original writeup below: Not one, not two, but THREE welcomes upon you as standard to episode 87 of the Distraction Pieces Podcast, with Kirby's own c…

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Common Knowledge in the Trump Era (with Steven Pinker) 1:07:47

1M ago1:07:47

1:07:47

How does common knowledge become… common knowledge? Steven Pinker is a cognitive psychologist and professor at Harvard University. He joins Preet to discuss his latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life, about how shared awareness shapes norms and shifts collective…

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Christopher Chung: all across the map to Slough House (Slow Horses / Blitz) #637 57:37

1M ago57:37

57:37

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the wonderful multi talent CHRISTOPHER CHUNG! An ultra inspiring chat featuring the insanely talented Christopher, in a catchup with Pip which goes all across the timeline from the wayback early days to what's coming ahead. He's had a full on …

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Trump Ramps Up Retribution 13:46

1M ago13:46

13:46

Why is President Trump’s recent Truth Social post directed at Attorney General Pam Bondi so dangerous? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the president’s post urging AG Bondi to prosecute political rivals and what it reveals about Trump’s attitude toward his opponents. In the full episode, Preet an…

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Mae Martin (Wayward / Feel Good / Handsome Podcast) • Friday Rewind 1:02:00

1M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Mae Martin, originally episode 314 from 2020-02-26. Original writeup below: A tremendous meetup of Pip and Mae, and dare I say a long overdue one at that… You’ll get to hear all about Mae in the greater s…

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How to Investigate a President (with Elie Honig) 45:45

1M ago45:45

45:45

Ever wonder how special counsel investigations really work, and what goes on behind the scenes? Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Stay Tuned contributor Elie Honig offers insider access to the key players in his latest book, When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ’s Pursuit of the President, from Nixon to Trump.…

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Chris & Pip's Staylist for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably • link in shownotes) #636 1:12:40

2M ago1:12:40

1:12:40

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the Hardcore Listing homie and everyday life homie CHRIS GLASSEN! You might have heard the pre-show shouts from Pip over the past few weeks, regarding a tie-in with CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). CALM are trying to raise funds to ma…

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SCOTUS’ Game of Chicken with Trump (with Dahlia Lithwick) 12:09

2M ago12:09

12:09

How is the Supreme Court emboldening President Trump's continuing expansion of power? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Joyce Vance discusses the “appeasement theory” with Dahlia Lithwick, the Slate senior editor and host of the Amicus podcast. In the full episode, Joyce and Dahlia break down which cases to look out for in the Court’s…

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Karl Pilkington (Ricky Gervais XFM Show / An Idiot Abroad / Derek) • Friday Rewind 1:09:30

2M ago1:09:30

1:09:30

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Karl Pilkington, originally episode 306 from 2020-01-08. Original writeup below: While some see Karl as the grumpy one of the original podcast trio consisting of him, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, a…

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Guns, Law, and the Culture War (with John Feinblatt and Adam Winkler) 1:06:43

2M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Programming Note: This conversation was recorded on Monday, 9/8, before the horrific and tragic killing of political activist Charlie Kirk. Gun violence is among the leading causes of death for children and teens in the United States. News of yet another mass shooting breaks almost weekly. And still, gun reform remains fiercely partisan. It is inde…

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Mark Steel: making gold with tragedy and comedy (The Leopard In My House / The Mark Steel Lectures / Vive La Revolution) #635 1:32:05

2M ago1:32:05

1:32:05

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by the legendary comic MARK STEEL! It's entirely likely you'll have been listening to and watching the work of Mark for decades now - he's been hard at work for a minute, and the fanbase is strong indeed. As you'll hear, Pip's been on board for y…

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Trump’s America: Do We All Need to Carry Papers Now? 10:52

2M ago10:52

10:52

In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the Supreme Court ruling that loosened restrictions on immigration raids in Los Angeles, allowing ICE to make stops based on factors like ethnicity. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down: – A federal judge’s ruling that President Trump’s deployment of th…

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Lolly Adefope (The Franchise / Ghosts / Shrill) • Friday Rewind 1:09:55

2M ago1:09:55

1:09:55

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Lolly Adefope, originally episode 254 from 2019-02-20. Original writeup below: ...what better way to begin than by Pip dreaming of Lolly the previous night? All shall be revealed and certainly not spoiled…

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Is Trump an Economic Despot? (with Daron Acemoglu) 1:10:30

2M ago1:10:30

1:10:30

What comes first, a prosperous economy or stable democratic institutions? Nobel Prize-winning economist and MIT professor Daron Acemoglu joins Preet to discuss the economic stakes of shifting institutional norms in the U.S. He weighs in on President Trump’s decision to fire key personnel at the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, as wel…