Middlebrow

Dan and Brian discuss Park Chan Wook's 'No Other Choice', Australian Open's one-point slam, Pret a Manger, Charlie Rose, Thinking Machines and more. Subscribe to our YouTube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

Dan and Brian discuss their 'Ins and Outs' for 2026, Heated Rivalry, GQ, Ayoung Kim's Delivery Dancer and Supreme. Subscribe to our Youtube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

Dan and Brian discuss their 'Best Of' for 2025, Marty Supreme, cruise epiphanies, airport lounges and skincare routines. Here's our 'Best Of 2025' List: Music Brian: Oklou, Oxis Dan: Dijon, Geese, Nourished by Time, Viagra Boys, Clipse Movies Brian: Splitsville, It Was Just an Accident, Eddington, Sentimental Value Dan: Secret Agent, No Other Choice, Eddington for best movie of the year Books Brian: Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, Bliss Montage by Ling Ma Art Dan: Jack Whitten retrospective at MoMA Subscribe to our YouTube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

Willett is a furniture and spatial designer and the creative behind his namesake company. We dive into his time working as a creative director for Kanye, the origin of his brand Willett, design trends that need to die, modern farmhouses and more. **Due to technical difficulties, the first 10-minutes of this episode has below-average audio quality. Apologies!!!!** Subscribe to our YouTube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

Jay Jurden is a New York based stand-up comedian, writer and actor. His new special, Yes Ma'am, is out now on Hulu. We dive into Black influence on comedy, Druski's exploitative practices, Republican sports, prep fashion, the financials of comedy specials and more.

Dan and Brian discuss Cameron Winter's Carnegie Hall show, dating in China, experimental animation, Jafar Panahi's It Was Just An Accident, polyamorous moms and more. Subscribe to our YouTube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

Dan and Brian discuss Dijon, the bid for Warner Bros, Thanksgiving flight delays, Korean pilots, Hong Sang-Soo, parental brain rot, another self-help book and more.

Michael Diaz-Griffith is a writer, designer, historian and antiques envangelist. Michael brings his storytelling instinct and expertise to teach us about the world of antiques. We dive into why we should even collect in the first place, vintage vs. antiques, developing your eye, Bode, freaky objects and more. Subscribe to our Youtube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod

W. David Marx is an American fashion and culture writer who works and lives in Tokyo. He is also the author of Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century. We dive into Addison Rae, poptimism, Kanye in Japan, creative invention as a social good, solutions for a healthier cultural output, double sell-outs and more. Subscribe to our Youtube: www.youtube.com/@middlebrowpod Subscribe to David's newsletter: https://culture.ghost.io/

Dan and Brian discuss Scott Galloway and the male loneliness epidemic, Ryan Murphy's All's Fair, Trump's Kennedy Center overhaul, Quaker meetings, unconventional sick remedies and more.

Dan and Brian discuss HBO's I Love LA, is having a boyfriend embarassing, portrait of a young Zohran, brand strategists, acting with Richard Kind and more. Susbscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Middlebrowpod/videos

Dan and Brian discuss Eleven Madison Park, gooning, Kelly Reichardt's The Mastermind, low-effort Halloween costumes, dead internet accelerationism, NEO home robot and more. Subscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Middlebrowpod

Mindy Seu is a designer, educator, researcher and author of the Cyberfeminism Index. We dive into life as Gen Z's favorite multi-hyphenate professor, the halcyon days of the internet, asexual tech lords, and her case for scheduled sex. Plus, Mindy's forthcoming book and lecture performance tour - A Sexual History of the Internet.

Dan and Brian discuss Valentin Vacherot's historic run, being blocked by Alec Baldwin, A***e H**l (in memory of Diane Keaton), Sasha Gordon at David Zwirner, n+1's Managing Editor salary, Jia Tolentino sponcon and Love is Blind.

Mark Ronson is a DJ, Grammy-winning record producer and author of the new memoir Night People. We dive into the nostalgia of the 90s, superstar producer qualities, memoir worthy childhoods, corny music, soft clubbing, wedding songs as a way to cement legacy and more. Subscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Middlebrowpod

Dan and Brian discuss community, keeping a mood diary, Sora 2, AI alibi, Taylor Swift's artistry, Riyadh Comedy Festival, Tilly Norwood, Friend, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, Chase Infiniti's internet history, neo-westerns and Woody Allen's fiction novel. Subscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Middlebrowpod

Alex Sujong Laughlin is the creator and host of the Try Hard podcast and co-owner of Defector Media. She is also the co-creator of the popular Normal Gossip podcast. We dive into Defector's profit-sharing model, internal company memos, Normal Gossip, SEC sorority life, secret handshakes, self-learning via Youtube, romaine lettuce, Ithaca and Zach Braff.

Dan and Brian discuss Happier Grocery, men's style icons, sitting straight, 9/11 in-flight announcement, Charlie Kirk's influence, Robert Redford, Waymo, Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Mark Ronson's book launch party, an incredible home in the North Fork, Brimfield Flea Market and Shakers.

Zoe Dubno is a writer whose debut novel Happiness and Love is out now. Her work has appeared in Granta, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian and elsewhere. We dive into galleys, reading at bookstores, dad-first marketing, Townes Van Zandt, horny bar/bat mitzvah season, Happiness and Love, autofiction, phone thiefs, celebrity book clubs, #justiceforelizabethgilbert and male beauty standards.

Gus Heagerty is a comedian, theatre director and actor who has cultivated a rabid online following for his hyper-specific characters. We dive into tales from the J.Crew retail floor, theatre fellowships, James Lipton and the art of the interview, Marin County, red light masks, Williamstown Theatre Festival, crisis pr teams, Shakespearean acting and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Emil DeRosa is a comedian, writer and dear friend of the podcast. He is also one half of The Ben and Emil show. We dive into the formalities of consuming your friend's work, Bruce Springsteen, the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce industrial complex, fancams, US Open drama, vertical mini dramas, Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle, Kpop Demon Hunters, AI companionship and the Riyadh Comedy Festival.

Liana Finck is a cartoonist, illustrator and regular contributor to The New Yorker. We dive into conference room culture, Dunkin Donuts, art inspired by loneliness, 2x speed podcasts, self-help books, friendship dynamics, her shaky line style, God and the surrender to laughter.

Dan and Brian discuss Marc Maron, a defense of performative men, delightful soap dispensers, Taylor Swift's podcast appearance, Jeff Bezos's James Bond, Wallpaper USA 400, friend stealing, Ardor by Matthew Gasda, the talented Mr. Joseph Awuah Darko, clout ssri, cultural villains and a study on perfectionism.

Theodore Bouloukos is an actor, aesthete and bon vivant, who was named 'A Secret Weapon of Independent Cinema' by The New Yorker. We dive into influencers breaking into the acting world, video art, dressing in all-black, the democratization of luxury, street etiquette, a defense of the aristocracy, hip hop, the culture of obviousness, tumblr fan pages, celebrity stylists, living richly and a call to action for actors.

Dan and Brian discuss Bushwick, Maine culture, "high trust society", Ben Shelton, US Open's reality dating show, Sydney Sweeney's ad, snack abstinence, TruFru, Together, Franco brothers, The Naked Gun and Outdoor Voices.

Dan and Brian discuss curiously named English delicacies, temperature disregulation, Oasis fever, Montana, Teddy Roosevelt, a taste of Breitbart News, pre-screenwriting cold plunge, My Neighbor Totoro in the West End, Jang Sa Ik's song Flower Viewing, Stoner by John Williams and tennis at The Queen's Club.

Dan and Brian discuss UK heat waves, Wimbledon queues, inverse Anthony Bourdain, pro tennis' mental health problem, Bloomsbury Group, Brian's New Yorker piece, Lena Dunham's Too Much, NYT's video stars and Justin Bieber.

Recho Omondi, host and creator of the fashion podcast The Cutting Room Floor, is known for her candid interviews with the fashion industry's biggest movers and shakers . We dive into FiDi swag, Wicked, creative director musical chairs, Alessandro Michele as a case study, streetwear, her namesake label, The Cutting Room Floor, Anna Wintour, Mtv's lasting impact, haters as fans and queer fragrance collectives.

Delaney Rowe, actor, comedian and writer, has taken over your social media timelines with her satirical movie character cliches. We dive into theatre ruining your life, being called "insufferable", private chefs, Paris, Celine Song's Materialists, viral panic, hosting a dinner party like a pro and hot dads.

Dan and Brian discuss the return to a grindset mentality, Zohran Mamdani, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding, NYT top 100 best movies of the 21st century, Peter Thiel and the AI draft frenzy.

Jason Zinoman, critic at large for the Culture section of the NYT and the paper's comedy critic, digs into the how and why behind a well-crafted joke. We dive into hot and rich comedians, marketing at the expense of craft, Youtube, SNL's successor, a defense of clown, critiquing without bias, comedy pet peeves, late night talk shows and the lost art of making everyone laugh.

Dan and Brian discuss fast casual two a days, tourists from your own country, bourgeois bohemians, France's smoking ban, Jannik Sinner, environments to cultivate greatness, French street artist Invader, Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, Talking Heads new music video, Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection and vibe coding.

Kareem Rahma, comedian and host of Subway Takes, knows how to grab your attention. We dive into personal rebrands, a case against the gym, getting papped, Keith McNally, meditations in Minneapolis, Wernher von Braun, Subway Takes, Sex and the City, changing your name, Ben Affleck and future goals. *Note: Audio quality dips slightly between 38-45 minutes due to technical difficulties.

David Michon, writer and creator of the design newsletter For Scale, can help you unlock the supreme potential of your domestic space. We dive into design week events, bringing critique back into the mainstream, the spiritual weight of a couch, interior design as self harm, dude apartments, dupe culture, white boucle, false notions of completeness, cinema interiors and LA restaurants. Read David's newsletter: https://forscale.substack.com/

Dan and Brian discuss almond croissants, expensive water, European air conditioning, Cannes Film Festival, mimetic desire, America's middle-aged sweethearts, Mr. Beast's glow up, content creators, the final Mission Impossible and the Tate Modern.

Emily Sundberg, writer and creator of the daily business newsletter Feed Me, always has the inside scoop on New York enterprise. We dive into being on your British tip, Gem Home, business group chats, Criterion collection, East Hampton Star, girlboss 2.0, gossip, Substack's value proposition and another dumb app idea. Link to Emily's newsletter: https://www.readfeedme.com/

Dan and Brian discuss what it means to have an American pope, Donald Trump for HGTV, a defense of West Village girlies, let them theory, Andrea Long Chu's bars, Andrew DeYoung's Friendship, Tim Robinson style comedy, Cluely and another dumb app idea.

Dan and Brian discuss this year's Met Gala theme, buying the Kanye dip, Lena Dunham's New Yorker piece, being a "from person", American lean, Zohran, Constance Tsang's Blue Sun Palace, Artichoke Pizza, performing at Red Rocks amphitheatre and Liveball.

Dan and Brian discuss secret super powers, comfortable servers, weather appropriate attire, The Four Horsemen, Resy insights, Dungeons and Dragons, Lorde, live readings and Ryan Coogler's Sinners.

Dan and Brian discuss the pope, jacked Ralph Fiennes, Chelsea gallery shows, The Masters, nepo athletes, 4dx film screenings, Salone del Mobile, Athens and European reservation systems. Athens Recs Shops: Hyper Hypo, It's a Shirt, Mouki Mou, Phaon Food: Seychelles, Taverna Oikonomou, Ouzeri lesvos, Wine is Fine Galleries: Michael Werner, Breeder Gallery Stay: Ace Hotel Athens

Liza Treyger, standup comedian, is all about curating good energy on and off stage. We dive into stage animals, Law & Order: SVU, going out until 6am, Soulcycle, crowdwork, luck, her new Netflix special and being out on ideas.

Dan and Brian discuss romance audiobooks, the case against shorts, protein intake levels, Netflix's Adolescence, Mr. Beast's newest venture, ai voice models, Atelier Jolie and The White Lotus.

Noah Johnson, Editor in Chief of Highsnobiety, has quietly shaped what you've worn over the past decade. We dive into projecting hobby expertise, being a menswear grim reaper, the exquisite corpse era of fashion, Substack, foodie culture, A24 as an adjective and Evan Kinori.

Dan and Brian discuss Playboi Carti's I Am Music, Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17, probiotic sodas, entrepreneurial killer instincts, Samuel Beckett, yonder pouches, innovative restroom solutions and Anne Imhof's DOOM.

Moss Perricone, writer for Saturday Night Live, knows how to craft a good joke. We dive into open mic Stockholm Syndrome, how being too stylish can signal fiscal irresponsibility, onboarding at SNL, pitch superstitions and the 50th anniversary special.

Wyna Liu, NYT puzzle editor and writer of the popular Connections game, crafts puzzles that provoke both anguish and joy. We dive into her personal morning game rituals, puzzle cruises, NYT games lab, the mechanics behind a good board and the beauty of applying constraints to our own lives.

Dan and Brian discuss high fashion podcast collabs, The Razzie Awards, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Koch brothers, architecture salaries, posthumous recognition, Tony Tulathimutte's Rejection and dumb phones.

Dan and Brian discuss return to office productivity, the false promise of invisalign, country cottage cosmetic industries, New York uber ratings, New Yorker humor pieces, LA art fairs, Tim Cook swag, Timothee Chalamet's earnest acceptance speech and Delmonico's.

Dan and Brian discuss the spirit of LA being alive and well, chasing winter, mumblecore films, traveling through SFO, Hollywood accounting, flight risks, jury duty on a shoplifting trial, RFK Jr and the SNL 50th anniversary.

Jeremiah Stone, chef and co-owner of Wildair and Bar Contra, has shaped New York's downtown dining culture. We dive into breakfast routines, the underappreciated art of dessert, insider tips for restaurant bookings, critics, Noma's true influence in fine dining, Kitchen Confidential 2.0, and the pressures of staff meal.