Best Lerer Podcasts (2026)

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Holiday Best-Of: Freakonomics; Eating Well; 1776; New Yorker Documentary 1:49:10

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17h ago1:49:10

1:49:10

During this holiday season, hear some recent favorites: Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and the co-author of Freakonomics (Harper Collins, 2025), now in a new 20th anniversary edition, reflects on 20 years of "Freakonomics," its impact and use of data, and talks about what's next. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies, and …

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Special Coverage: Zohran Mamdani's Inaugural Speech 1:39:39

1d ago1:39:39

1:39:39

Brian Lehrer hosts special coverage of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inaugural speech, with analysis from Dr. Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC and the author of How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams (Cambridge University Press, 2024…

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New Year's Day: Mayor Adams' Legacy; Wikipedia's Rules; Online Reading 1:49:34

1d ago1:49:34

1:49:34

On this New Year's Day: Ahead of the Mamdani swearing-in ceremony, a look back: Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter; Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast and executive editor and program director at New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law; and Jeffery Mays, New York Times metro politics reporter, weigh in on Mayor Adams' term…

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Holiday Best-Of: Colleges; Public Health; Pre-Cellphone Nostalgia; Being Stuck 1:49:22

3d ago1:49:22

1:49:22

During this holiday season, hear some recent favorites: Christopher Eisgruber, president of Princeton University and the author of Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right (Hachette, 2025), talks about issues of free speech and campus politics at Princeton, and the university's relationship with the Trump administration. Seth Berkley, M…

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Holiday Best-Of: Democratic Socialism; Joyce Vance, Teaching; Rail-to-Trail & More 1:49:31

4d ago1:49:31

1:49:31

During this holiday season, hear some recent favorites: New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani defines himself as a democratic socialist, yet his critics have seized on his leftist identity to paint him as an extremist. Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti, professor of political science and executive director of the Moynihan Center at The City College of …

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2025 News Quiz: Hour 1 30:52

5d ago30:52

30:52

In our annual news quiz, listeners call in to answer trivia questions about the past year in politics, culture, and more.By WNYC

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2025 News Quiz: Hour 2 35:42

5d ago35:42

35:42

In our annual news quiz, listeners call in for some trivia about the past year in politics, culture, and more.By call_in, news_quiz, 100_years, centennial, politics, local_wnyc, culture

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Holiday Best-Of: Jelani Cobb; Pregnancy; Grandparenting; Julia Ioffe; Cartoons 1:49:27

8d ago1:49:27

1:49:27

During this holiday season, hear some recent favorites: Jelani Cobb, dean of the Journalism School at Columbia University, a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-2025 (One World, 2025), looks back at recent history and find the threads that connect the era of protests and backlash.…

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Your Best Gift Ever 15:06

10d ago15:06

15:06

Listeners share the best gifts they've ever received and what made them so special.By WNYC

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Picks and Pans of 2025 Entertainment 26:38

10d ago26:38

26:38

Listeners offer their picks of what they loved and hated this year in the world of film, literature, podcasting, performance, and more.By WNYC

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What Christmas Means to You 55:45

10d ago55:45

55:45

Christians call in to share the religious meaning of the holiday for them and what "Christian politics" mean as they come into the spotlight under the Trump administration. Then, listeners tell stories of moments that defined their common humanity with people from different backgrounds.By WNYC

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Saying Goodbye (And Hello) to Beloved Businesses 13:36

10d ago13:36

13:36

Listeners share which of their favorite businesses closed in 2025, and shoutout new spots where they plan on becoming regulars.By WNYC

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Instacart’s AI-aided Pricing Experiments 22:40

11d ago22:40

22:40

Derek Kravitz, reporter and deputy editor for Consumer Reports, discusses an investigation into third-party grocery delivery service Instacart's algorithmic pricing experiment.By WNYC

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Shop Listener 2025: Experiences 13:14

11d ago13:14

13:14

Shop Listener is back for the 2025 holiday season. Listeners call in to shout out the "experience" holiday gifts they sell.By WNYC

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Offshore Wind, China and the GOP 23:47

11d ago23:47

23:47

Robinson Meyer, founding executive editor of Heatmap, talks about how in the ten years since the Paris Agreement, as he says the "climate story is the China story" now. Plus, Jael Holzman, senior reporter at Heatmap, reports on how the Republican Party has turned fully against renewable energy sources, including offshore wind projects.…

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Mayor-Elect Mamdani's Inauguration Plans 50:21

11d ago50:21

50:21

Jeff Coltin, editor-in-chief of City & State, talks about Mayor-elect Mamdani's latest deputy mayor appointments, and the inauguration plans.By WNYC

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How to Stay Healthy as Flu Season Ramps Up 19:03

12d ago19:03

19:03

The flu season has hit and cases are still rising. Michelle Morse, M.D., interim commissioner of health at the NYC Department of Health and an internal medicine and public health doctor, talks about how to stay healthy this holiday season.By WNYC

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Mohsen Mahdawi's Case 30:05

12d ago30:05

30:05

As he awaits a court ruling on the Trump administration's attempt to deport him, Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian activist, co-founder of the Columbia Palestinian Student Union and former president of the Columbia University Buddhist Association, and his attorney, Nate Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, tal…

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The Brian Lehrer Show's 'Best Photo' Contest Winners For 2025 14:21

12d ago14:21

14:21

Every year, The Brian Lehrer Show asks you to submit the best photo you took that is sitting on your phone – and every year, you deliver with some breathtaking shots. This year, you submitted over 700 photos! Our partners at Photoville, along with a special guest judge, journalist, photographer and co-founder of the photo collective Seis del Sur Da…

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Monday Morning Politics: Epstein Files and More 46:21

12d ago46:21

46:21

Philip Bump, MSNOW contributor, author of the How to Read this Chart newsletter and the author of The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America (Viking, 2023), talks about the latest national political news, including the release of the Epstein files, divisions in the GOP and more.…

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: New Speaker; IRC's Miliband; Remembering Rob Reiner 1:20:18

14d ago1:20:18

1:20:18

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Meet the Likely New City Council Speaker (First) | IRC on the Countries at Risk in 2026 (Starts at 28:40) | Remembering Rob Reiner (Starts at 1:07:21) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.…

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Change is Coming for New York's Catholics 27:05

14d ago27:05

27:05

Pope Leo announced that Ronald Hicks, a Midwesterner, will replace Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the leader of the Archdiocese of New York. Daniel Rober, associate professor and department chair of the Catholic Studies department at Sacred Heart University, talks about the new archbishop, whom observers have said has a style more akin to the new pope t…

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Adams Rent Guidelines Board Appointments and City Council Housing Votes 27:21

15d ago27:21

27:21

Yesterday, out-going mayor Eric Adams appointed four members to the Rent Guidelines Board, creating a major obstacle to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's key campaign promise to freeze the rent for rent stabilized tenants. David Brand, housing reporter at WNYC and Gothamist, discusses the Adams appointees, Mamdani's appointment of Leila Bozorg as his ho…

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Friday Morning Politics: Trump's Chief of Staff; Venezuela; Economic Woes 43:19

15d ago43:19

43:19

Jonathan Lemire, co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW; writer for MSNOW and contributing writer to The Atlantic talks about the national political news of the week, including Vanity Fair's extensive piece about President Trump's closest aides, the administration's blockade on Venezuela and more.By WNYC

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Reasons to Love New York Right Now 12:22

15d ago12:22

12:22

Erik Maza, editor-at-large at New York Magazine discusses some of the reasons to love New York right now, and listeners call in to share their own reasons.By WNYC

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1
Thrillist: Meet the Innovators

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Free Food For Thought

FF4T

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The Road Untraveled: VC Perspectives with Brian Hollins

Brian Hollins

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Seed to Harvest

Paige Finn Doherty

1
Holiday Best-Of: Freakonomics; Eating Well; 1776; New Yorker Documentary 1:49:10

1
Special Coverage: Zohran Mamdani's Inaugural Speech 1:39:39

1
New Year's Day: Mayor Adams' Legacy; Wikipedia's Rules; Online Reading 1:49:34

1
Holiday Best-Of: Colleges; Public Health; Pre-Cellphone Nostalgia; Being Stuck 1:49:22

1
Holiday Best-Of: Democratic Socialism; Joyce Vance, Teaching; Rail-to-Trail & More 1:49:31

1
2025 News Quiz: Hour 1 30:52

1
2025 News Quiz: Hour 2 35:42

1
Holiday Best-Of: Jelani Cobb; Pregnancy; Grandparenting; Julia Ioffe; Cartoons 1:49:27

1
Your Best Gift Ever 15:06

1
Picks and Pans of 2025 Entertainment 26:38

1
What Christmas Means to You 55:45

1
Saying Goodbye (And Hello) to Beloved Businesses 13:36

1
Instacart’s AI-aided Pricing Experiments 22:40

1
Shop Listener 2025: Experiences 13:14

1
Offshore Wind, China and the GOP 23:47

1
Mayor-Elect Mamdani's Inauguration Plans 50:21

1
How to Stay Healthy as Flu Season Ramps Up 19:03

1
Mohsen Mahdawi's Case 30:05

1
The Brian Lehrer Show's 'Best Photo' Contest Winners For 2025 14:21

1
Monday Morning Politics: Epstein Files and More 46:21

1
Brian Lehrer Weekend: New Speaker; IRC's Miliband; Remembering Rob Reiner 1:20:18

1
Change is Coming for New York's Catholics 27:05

1
Adams Rent Guidelines Board Appointments and City Council Housing Votes 27:21

1
Friday Morning Politics: Trump's Chief of Staff; Venezuela; Economic Woes 43:19

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Reasons to Love New York Right Now 12:22