Political Gabfest host Emily Bazelon talks with Jonathan Mahler about his new book, The Gods of New York. They discuss the unraveling of Mayor Ed Koch’s New York City; how the city’s current mayoral race is mirroring the past; and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the wr ... Show More
Aug 5
Death, Sex & Money | How the Ultra-Rich Think…and What They Fear
Evan Osnos has spent nearly his whole life observing the habits, values, and norms of the wealthy elite, from his childhood in suburban Connecticut to the years he spent reporting on the mega-yachts and underground bunkers of the U.S.’s richest citizens. This week, he talks to An ... Show More
59m 1s
Jul 19
Gabfest Reads | A Beach Read for the Outraged
David Plotz talks with author Carl Hiaasen about his new book, Fever Beach. Fever Beach is a political satire that follows a couple of dimwitted white supremacists, a corrupt congressman, and the people that try to take them all down. They discuss the real-life racist event Hiaas ... Show More
26m 38s
Aug 5
How the Ultra-Rich Think…and What They Fear
Evan Osnos has spent nearly his whole life observing the habits, values, and norms of the wealthy elite, from his childhood in suburban Connecticut to the years he spent reporting on the mega-yachts and underground bunkers of the U.S.’s richest citizens. This week, he talks to An ... Show More
59m 1s
May 2024
Episode 531: Life as a Sociopath (with Patric Gagne)
What's it like to be a sociopath? This week's guest tells us. On this episode, Katy sits down with author and self-described sociopath Patric Gagne for a LIVE interview with audience at Seattle's Town Hall venue, whose recent book Sociopath has been acclaimed as a "fascinating, r ... Show More
49m 34s
Jun 2024
Jon Ronson on Conspiracies, Culture Wars and How Things Fell Apart, Part One
The is the first instalment of a two-part discussion. For this episode, Jon Ronson – the journalist, author, and filmmaker – dives into the world of conspiracies and the culture wars. They’re themes that form the bedrock of his hugely successful podcast and BBC Radio 4 series, Th ... Show More
45m 13s
Feb 2025
She Fell in Love With ChatGPT. Like, Actual Love. With Sex.
Warning: This episode discusses sexual themes.Artificial intelligence has changed how millions of people write emails, conduct research and seek advice.Kashmir Hill, who covers technology and privacy, tells the story of a woman whose relationship with a chatbot when much further ... Show More
32m 28s
Mar 2025
[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] A Day in the Life under Lockdown, Part 1
Who remembers what life felt like during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, when cities and entire countries were shutting down right and left? Believe it or not, it all started five years ago this month! So we are digging back into our archives to bring you episodes from t ... Show More
34 m
Aug 2024
Why the Horror Genre is Such a Scream, with Anna Bogutskaya
We welcome back Anna Bogutskaya to the podcast for this episode to discuss her book, Feeding the Monster: Why Horror Has a Hold on Us. As the title suggests, it’s a publication celebrating the goriest, scariest, and to many – most downright entertaining film genre out there. Bogu ... Show More
46m 5s
Aug 2024
The Poetry of Modern Storytelling, with Olivia Gatwood
A poet, performer, novelist and screenwriter, Olivia Gatwood has received international recognition for her writing, which has focused on topics including coming of age, feminism, gendered violence and true crime. Her debut novel is Whoever You Are, Honey, a dark and brilliant st ... Show More
40m 46s