Best Sam Kriss Podcasts (2026)

Acquisitive journalism at its finest.https://www.compactmag.com/article/i-bought-everything-advertised-in-national-review-and-all-i-got-was-this-bleak-odyssey-into-the-rotten-heart-of-american-conservatism-america-and-also-myself/By Andy, Nicole, Ana, David

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MLS11E04 - coding, I guess?

Play Pause

2y ago

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That seems mostly like what was discussed.Cast - Matt, DavidBy David

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MLS11E03 - artistic rebuttal

2y ago

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Cast - David, Ana, RyanRyan has heard your concerns, and disagrees.By David, Ana, Ryan

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MLS11E02 - Antidemocratic measures

2y ago

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By David, Ryan, Ana

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MLS11E01 - The decision to begin again

2y ago

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This is called Episode Note.By David

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Wagner By The Park (with special guest Greg Jackson ) 3:15:14

2y ago3:15:14

3:15:14

It's a repulsively glorious fall day in Brooklyn. Seeking respite from his upstate rustication, Greg Jackson comes to the city to ask us, "Who are you guys?" In trying to answer him, we discuss Conrad, infantile ejaculation, polite literary readings, and nested storytelling. We take frequent breaks. Drew becomes rather maudlin. Lauren eats Port Sal…

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About A Guy, With Some Guys (Featuring Willy Staley, Dean Kissick, and Sam Kriss) 2:49:11

2y ago2:49:11

2:49:11

We're so back, as they say, and we've recruited some struggle favorites to join us for a most unseemly return. We gather in Park Slope with 3 microphones, 4 dudes, and 1 Lauren. We talk about the text, for once. We talk about sojourns abroad and encounters with Kentuckian gastronomy. We perform close readings then forget our reading entirely. We si…

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P***Y For the Meter With Max Lawton 2:02:21

2+ y ago2:02:21

2:02:21

Drew finally lifts his editing embargo and the show recently described as "your boyfriend's favorite podcast" returns with a special guest-- the esteemed, humble, and oddly jacked translator Max Lawton. We talk about...what the hell did we talk about? Many arcane Russian writers we don't know about, non-binary bombs, a bizarre fascistic musical (al…

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ONE EASY TRICK TO UNIONIZE YOUR PUBLIC SECTOR EDUCATION JOB

3y ago

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Governors hate it!By Ana, Ryan, David

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White Chocolate Guys (ft. Sam Kriss) 2:18:56

3y ago2:18:56

2:18:56

In this episode with cult fave 6'4" writer SAM KRISS, all motifs are on the table - literally. Drew has been heroically managing dry January by replacing alcohol with weird food and on the Wednesday evening we gathered at the Park Slope Manse, he presented Sam and Lauren with the most deranged assortment of snacks imaginable. As we loudly munched o…

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Storytime podcasts

3y ago

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We make the inevitable turn to talking about podcasts on a podcast. This week (and only this week) we delve into the high-value low-effort genre of one guy/guyette reacting to their friend telling them about a thing.By Ryan, Nicole, Lue, David

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No One’s Beautiful and We’re All Gonna Die W/Alex Dimitrov 1:59:17

3y ago1:59:17

1:59:17

Love is boring and breakups are banal. Flight attendants are gay and have extraordinarily high body counts. We’re calling for a New Sensualism! Have you read The Line of Beauty? Drew’s getting into astrology and martinis, Lauren’s still running the show. Alex Dimitrov is, in fact, a respected poet–published in The New Yorker, no less. He likes gett…

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Additional Matts

3y ago

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One Matt goes into exile, another takes his place. For a month or so.By David

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Machine learning on the job

3y ago

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Go to http://machinationlog.com/podcast/2022-10-24-machine-learning-on-the-job for full episode notes 0:00 - What do we want out of a job? 6:20 - What’s this AI all about and is it bad? 32:00 - So what? 52:50 - Technological limitations, and how this is all YET AGAIN nerds’ faults. 1:06:10 - Filling the void with doing something about all this 1:40…

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Vagaries and Vicissitudes: A 2nd Anniversary Call-in Special 1:51:43

3+ y ago1:51:43

1:51:43

As that haunting summer feeling takes hold, Lauren and Drew languidly reflect on another year of podcasting and readerly fellowship. Along the way they read some KOK and respond to calls from the usual band of dilettantes, devotees, and detractors. A goblin-schnozzed Czech puppet called Mickey makes a special appearance as well.…

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Colonel Mustard with the Gerbil (ft. Jon Lindsey) 53:06

3+ y ago53:06

53:06

Good news: it's our first in-person recording in half a year. Bad news (a la Teddy St. Aubyn): Audio interface ran out of battery so it cuts off sorry Buy Jon's book: Body High We'll get back to Karl Ove soon we promise. Have brain damage? Consider donating to our Patreon: patreon.com/ourstruggle

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Bildongsroman (ft. Gary Shteyngart) 1:53:38

3+ y ago1:53:38

1:53:38

We're back! We're talkin schlong! We're on Patreon, finally! It's season 4....after taking a month and half off from the show to work on their tans, Lauren and Drew return, joined, this time, by the beloved novelist Gary Shteyngart, zooming in from his Rolex-stuffed country estate in the Hudson Valley. Knowing that many of our listeners are fans of…

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Sailing with Captain Lauren

3+ y ago

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By Matt, David

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Cafe Society (ft. Felix Biederman) 1:50:40

3+ y ago1:50:40

1:50:40

We're back! And joined by Felix Biederman, a promising young podcaster recently arrived in Los Angeles whom we condescended to let on the show. Although by no means a "bookhead" -- to appropriate his charming coinage -- Felix is a longtime fan of Karl Ove Knausgaard. The Norwegian author became a source of strength for Felix when he first encounter…

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BONUS EP: The Northman (ft. Alec Niedenthal) 1:42:35

3+ y ago1:42:35

1:42:35

A lot of people when they realize that Drew is not on this episode are going to say I betrayed him but what you need to know is that we're actually POLY now and I can podcast with any man I choose. Also Drew was supposed to show up to this recording and didn't. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN WITHOUT DREW! My good friend Alec Niedenthal and I went to see The N…

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ML22-02-26 - hard-hitting analysis

3+ y ago

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[Nicole, Lue, Ryan, David] 0:00 - gambling and other Vegas activities, wordle and other wordle activities 9:32 - data analysis, problem management, American healthcare, financial advice, Ridley Grotesk, redactions 35:12 - The Marxist-Engelist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist hour, chairs [Ryan, Matt, David] 1:15:05 - Podcasts, Jocko 1:43:02 - Russo-Ukrain…

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Rhythm Time (ft. James Griffiths) 1:35:19

3+ y ago1:35:19

1:35:19

Finally! It's Rhythm Time! To discuss one of the most notorious and worst written passages of Book 2, we invited back our homie James Griffiths, the Welsh warrior and three-time struggle King, who told us that these pages made him "want to get a vasectomy." Also in this episode: A "lover's quarrel" between Lauren and Drew (saga to be cont.); we unc…

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Murder Hobo Fantasies ep. 7 - DMing in 2022

4y ago

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[Mitchell, David] 0:00 - How you like being a DM; accents for NPCs 4:09 - why the high fantasy setting of D&D is so popular 12:00 - PCs thwarting a perfectly good big battle scenario; being not a DM for once 16:55 - Pathfinder 2e v D&D 5e 37:34 - One-shot gaems, session lengths 41:53 - Tech in tabletop; balancing encounter difficulty at higher leve…

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ML22-02-12 - Pure ideology

4y ago

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0:25 - [David, Ryan] unionizing, teaching, painting, bagel dogs 13:12 - Somewhere between 19 and 26 rules for life: reviewed! Link to List 58:15 - [+Jacob] Rules for life conclusions 1:05:50 - Is It Worth A Shit episode 1, teaching 3rd graders improper fractions (blackboard picture at Link to chalkboard 1:23:10 - Lin et Lucie sont toujours en retar…

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Conception (ft. Andrew Lipstein) 1:55:42

4y ago1:55:42

1:55:42

Welcome back! This is a classic struggle, in which we were joined by our new friend, yet another Jewish writer named Andrew. You can buy his (Andrew Lipstein's) novel LAST RESORT out now. It's getting good reviews. Lauren's half awake notes: 0:00 – marc maron-style appeal to buy mug 3:30 - geriatric pregnancy, half of face paralyzed, run into a pol…

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Love Qua Love (ft. Oded Even Or and Krithika Varagur) 2:36:15

4y ago2:36:15

2:36:15

In which we discuss Mating (Norman Rush's luminous 1991 novel), and mating. Happy Valentine's Day PS. Please buy our mug

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Maybe I'm supposed to write all the time.

4y ago

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Transcript at machinationlog.comBy David

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I’m doing 4 things a day now.

4y ago

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A description and defense of not doing too many things during the day. Check the website for transcript and pictures. http://machinationlog.com/podcast/2022-1-29-xn8p6mgbarp7sdxwrkjfywk9caezioBy David

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Clown Hour 1:06:45

4y ago1:06:45

1:06:45

Alright folks - we finally got equipment for IRL recording but the catch is, we did too much IRL hanging out this weekend so by the time we figured out the equipment we were out of things to say. I mean there's some good stuff in here but shouldn't be any kind of priority unless you're some kind of freak who's desperate to hear the EXQUISITE TIMBRE…

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Fanny and Alexander and Karl Ove (Xmas special) 1:50:56

4y ago1:50:56

1:50:56

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, HELP US WORSHIP MAMMON! Link to store ---- In this end of the year Christmas special, our two Hebraic hosts convene to discuss the Yuletide-set Part One of Ingmar Bergman's 1983 masterpiece, Fanny and Alexander. What resonances does this warm, nostalgic account of a Swedish boy's fantasy life have with our Jesus in the sea seei…

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Free Associating at the Dog Park (ft. Kyle Chayka) 1:36:33

4y ago1:36:33

1:36:33

He was late; he always is. - Kyle C. doesn't seem too put off my his riff about misogyny in the kitchen, at least. - My Struggle, minimalist or maximalist? Is all autofiction minimalist? Is it funny to call her "Rachel Cuck"? A lot of questions, not so many answers. - Vanja puts on her golden shoes and goes to Stella's birthday party. Vanja shows o…

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Actuarial lessons learned

4y ago

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Matt was an actuarial scientist for a while. We discuss that in the context of him not being one of those anymore.By David, Matt

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Beyond the Discourse of the Wind (ft. Mason) 1:25:19

4y ago1:25:19

1:25:19

A rainy Sunday night in ---. Two broadcasters, a man and a woman recently arrived from Central Park, convene in the cramped kitchen of the man's lodging with Malbec and Port Salut. There is much to speak of - the Kinks, a mangled papaya dog, an invective against tweets by Wallace Shawn (Swan?) - but as their trivial chatter progresses, a mystery em…

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Live from Family Brooklyn (ft. Willy Staley) 2:22:32

4y ago2:22:32

2:22:32

October 31, 2021The autumn has been long; and the weather, a mood. The leaves are perfectly gold here on the Gold Coast (that swathe of Brooklyn lining the East River - Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens -- where the bourgeois-bohemian class reproduces) and soon I, William Staley (more commonly and phallicly known as Willy)…

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Le Quotidian Pain (ft. Dasha Nekrasova) 2:02:53

4y ago2:02:53

2:02:53

She showed up smoking marlboro lights and talking about a ribbon store nearby. This was on west 38 street, where I’d rented, for 250 dollars, a studio for the recording sesh. My voice was ragged, frayed, like late period Dylan, on account of a cold I acquired in Greenpoint, at a play, and three classes a day on the Metamorphosis: I encouraged my st…

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Intimate Drizzle (ft. Emmie Francis and Luke Brown) 1:51:50

4y ago1:51:50

1:51:50

I have to go to Dayton Ohio in a second to visit my Aunt Bunny but long story short it was the afternoon of the Brooklyn Tote Bag Fest, Drew took shelter in the den of the Wizard of Remsen Street fka Christian Lorentzen and he podded from there while the Cousins beamed in from across the POnd. (I was back in the finished basement of the Old House.)…

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1ST ANNIVERSARY CALL-IN SHOW (PT. 2) 2:06:30

4+ y ago2:06:30

2:06:30

Drew is shirtless and eating 5% Fage. Lauren walks us through her coffee making process. We respond to a series of increasingly deranged missives and talk Marguerite Duras, Pirates of the Caribbean, Little Rascals, situationism, Morrissey in Sweden, spinach, fapping to Wallace Shawn. We promise to not do this again for another year.…

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Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix nutrition facts 3:43

4+ y ago3:43

3:43

By David

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1ST ANNIVERSARY CALL-IN SHOW (PT. 1) 1:25:35

4+ y ago1:25:35

1:25:35

Well we were GOING to do this all in one go but then Drew supposedly got recognized at local watering hole Clandestino by a listener who took him to the underworld (brooklyn) and I guess something unspeakable ensued because Drew showed up an hour late to our recording session and looked and sounded like absolute death. It actually made for some pre…

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Free On The Inside (ft. Donald Morrison) 2:43:39

4+ y ago2:43:39

2:43:39

We're back! After their triumphant NYC debut, Lauren is back in DC, Drew's moved into Morningside Heights with his Jane Goodall-fancying roommate, and they're ready to chat Grandma's shit death house with their pal Donny Morrissey, an investigative journalist and fan of the show who was first K-pilled some years ago during a stint in county jail fo…

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Vanguard of the Supplicants (ft. Torrey Peters) 2:12:23

4+ y ago2:12:23

2:12:23

We were a little perplexed when Torrey Peters came groveling before us to come on the show. She’d written a best-selling novel with big topical themes--and other odd things like scenes, characters, plot. Why did she want to talk to two people who’ve devoted their own discourse to a seemingly shapeless, semi-essayistic inventory of one Norwegian’s l…

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Longing, Death, Form (Season 1 Sparknotes: Themes and Motifs) 1:11:25

4+ y ago1:11:25

1:11:25

In the wake of their newfangled fame, Lauren and Drew look back at the themes and characters of Season 1 and attend to correspondence from fans and detractors. Sample of Drew’s “intricate notes”: -Cold open w/Drew’s senioritis suicide note -game of pricks --season 1 finale montage badinage --things we can’t talk about; a final solution for goldendo…

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Sheepdog Brain (ft. Dean Kissick) 2:36:34

4+ y ago2:36:34

2:36:34

Surely one of our most Knausgaardian episodes yet - we spent four hours last Sunday afternoon - a rainy, unseasonably cold day in the mid-Atlantic - chatting with brilliant art critic and prolific croissant eater Dean Kissick. Manhattan traffic hummed outside of Dean's window, we took a yogurt break followed by a coffee break, there was a brief dra…

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Minutt for Minutt 1:10:23

4+ y ago1:10:23

1:10:23

WE ARE BACK! After a dire situation earlier this month, Our Struggle returns, as lo-fi and perfunctory as ever! It's just us boys again this ep but be assured we have some VERY prestigious and intellectual guests on the horizon, so if you're one of those dweebs who listens to our show for so-called "literary criticism" and "thoughtful discussion of…

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Seersucker Semiotics (Trauma Processing Special) 1:33:07

4+ y ago1:33:07

1:33:07

After a run of well-received episodes with prestigious guests and a Bookforum mention we are ready for our slow decline! It's just us boys on this pod, testing out our new mics and recording software, beginning to drift imperceptibly away from our lo-fi roots & thus our scruffy charm and ultimately, our integrity. But for now we're talking about tr…

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Johnson's Johnson (ft. James Griffiths) 1:20:06

5y ago1:20:06

1:20:06

IT'S THE RETURN OF THE WELSH WARRIOR! The Duke of Cardiff himself, prestigious CNN journalist James Griffiths is back on the pod and folks?? We got a little off topic!! But who gives a shit, you don't pay for this (yet) and what is a Knausgaard podcast without copious digression (the imitative fallacy can fuck right off)!! Due what I am self diagno…