The Brian Lehrer Show

On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justices heard arguments in a case about gender-affirming care for minors. Kate Shaw, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny, a contributor with ABC News and a contributing opinion Writer with the New York Times, explains why the court is considering a challenge to a Tennessee law that bars the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

Jane McManus, sports writer, an adjunct professor at New York University at the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport and the editor of The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024 (Triumph, 2024) and author of the forthcoming The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women's Sports (Temple University Press, 2025), looks back on some of the best writing about sports and athletes this year.

Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post reporter on the International desk covering foreign affairs, and Anthony Kuhn, NPR international correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea, discuss the short-lived martial law order from South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol, and the political crisis unfolding in the National Assembly and streets of Seoul.

There will likely be changes to the immigration system under Donald Trump, who has pledged to initiate a mass deportation campaign. Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO at the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), speaks to the concerns of immigrants.

As our centennial series continues, David Brooks, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, New York Times columnist, and the author of the book How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (Random House, 2023), reviews the history of "meritocracy" in the U.S. and argues that it needs reform.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event including whether law abiding, undocumented migrants should worry about Trump's proposed mass deportations and more.

Dan Goldman, US Representative (D, NY-10), formerly lead counsel for the impeachment investigation of Pres. Trump in 2019 and former assistant US attorney SDNY, responds to the president-elect's nominations for cabinet posts and the FBI and talks about his expectations for the next House term.

Ellen Blain, former chief of Civil Rights for the Southern District of New York, talks about the impact the next Trump administration could have on civil rights law.

Shop Listener is back for the 2024 holiday season. Listeners call in to shout out their online shops ahead of the holidays, for a Brian Lehrer Show listener-sourced gift guide.

David Rohde, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, national security editor at NBC News, and the author of Where Tyranny Begins: The Justice Department, the FBI, and the War on Democracy (W.W. Norton; Aug 27, 2024), talks about the role of the FBI and the what the nomination of Kash Patel as its director indicates about criminal prosecutions during the Trump administration.

Brooke Rollins, a climate skeptic with ties to a powerful pro-fossil fuels group, has been picked to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Georgina Gustin, reporter who covers agriculture and food systems for Inside Climate News, discusses Rollins's appointment and the consequences as the challenge of climate change makes farming more difficult.

Domenico Montanaro, NPR's senior political editor/correspondent, talks about the latest national political news from over the holiday weekend and looks back at the election results, now that the final demographic breakdowns are in.

As our centennial series continues, Timothy Snyder, history professor at Yale University and the author of On Tyranny and his latest, On Freedom (Crown, 2024), reviews the history of fascism from the early 1920s until today.

Jenny Fox, children's book editor and author and the co-founder of Librarians = Literacy, calls for the New York City Department of Education to provide more schools with librarians and supports a new City Council bill to track the data.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.100 Years of 100 Things: Shirley Chisholm (First) | Daniel Penny's Subway Chokehold Trial Nears the End (Starts at 41:34) | Shop Listener 2024: Brick and Mortar Stores (Starts at 1:01:55)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

On this day after Thanksgiving, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations:Ilan Stavans, cultural critic, Latino scholar, and publisher of Restless Book, discusses his cartoon history of Latino life, culture, and politics, Latino USA: A Cartoon History (Basic Books, 2024), now out in paperback and updated for its 25th anniversary.Ian Frazier, frequent contributor to The New Yorker and the author of several books, including Great Plains, Travels in Siberia and his latest, Paradise Bronx: The Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough (FSG, 2024), turns his attention closer to home and shares his exploration of NYC's only mainland borough, the Bronx.Kwame Alexander, poet and Emmy-winning producer, author of Why Fathers Cry at Night and editor of This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets (Little, Brown and Company, 2024), talks about the inspiration for, and from, the works collected in his new book.Mo Rocca, host of the podcast Mobituaries, a CBS Sunday Morning correspondent, a frequent panelist on NPR’s hit weekly quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me! and author of Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs (Simon & Schuster, 2024), profiles people whose big achievements cameat the age many of their peers were stepping back. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:A Cartoon History of Latino Life, Culture and Politics (Sep 20, 2024)Ian Frazier's Love Letter to the Bronx (Aug 22, 2024)Sharing the Poems (Feb 7, 2024)Mo Rocca's (Really) Late Bloomers (Jun 11, 2024)

On this Thanksgiving, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations:As our centennial series continues, Irene Kearns, digital program manager for Native Knowledge 360° at the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Institution, talks about how indigenous people's history and stories have been taught and how that's changed.10 years after his comedy album "Mandatory Fun" became the first comedy album in history to hit number 1 on the Billboard charts, "Weird Al" Yankovic, musician, comedian, and actor, looks back on his career parodying hit pop songs, previews his latest single "Polkamania!", and takes calls from his multi-generational fanbase.Stacey D’Erasmo, novelist, literary critic and the author of The Long Run: A Creative Inquiry (Graywolf, 2024), talks about her new book and what she discovered about how artists keep their creativity going throughout their lives.The New York Times Cooking app marks its 10th anniversary earlier this year. Emily Weinstein, editor in chief of New York Times Cooking and Food and author of the popular NYT Cooking newsletter "Five Weeknight Dishes", joins to celebrate the decade with a list of the most iconic recipes, and listeners call in to share their NYT Cooking favorites.Kenneth C. Davis, author of the "Don't Know Much About History" series and most recently, The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction (Scribner, 2024), makes the case for reading vs. screens with curated selections from key works of nonfiction.Lynne Peeples, science writer and the author of The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms (Riverhead Books, 2024), reviews the latest science on our internal "clocks" and how to use them to improve sleep and learning.These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:100 Years of 100 Things: Teaching Indigenous People's Stories (Oct 14, 2024)"Weird Al" Yankovic Celebrates 10 Years of "Mandatory Fun" (Jul 19, 2024)Staying Creative Over a Lifetime (Jul 9, 2024)NYT Cooking’s Most Iconic Recipes (Sept 19, 2024)Connecting with Circadian Rhythms (Sept 24, 2024)

Abigail Hauslohner, Washington Post national security reporter, breaks down what is known about Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, including his military background and scrutiny surrounding Hegseth's personal life.

As our centennial series continues, Kenneth C. Davis, author of the "Don't Know Much About History" series and most recently, The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction (Scribner, 2024), reviews the history of the American Thanksgiving holiday and how it has changed over the past 100 years.

Jordan Neely died after a former marine named Daniel Penny put him in a chokehold on an F train in May 2023 - some of which was captured on a viral video taken by a bystander. Samantha Max, reporter covering public safety for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about the arguments the prosecution and defense made in the trial, and what comes next.

Peter Beinart, journalist, commentator, author of the Substack newsletter 'The Beinart Report', professor at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and the author of the forthcoming book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning (Knopf, 2025), talks about the implications of arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court, plus the latest on ceasefire negotiations.

Bill de Blasio, former mayor of New York City, talks about how New York's sanctuary city status was strengthened under his administration, and what he believes the city should do to prepare for President-elect Trump's threat for mass deportations. Then, U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY11, covering Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn), talks about her calls for more cooperation with ICE by NYC officials.

Shop Listener is back for the 2024 holiday season. Listeners call in to shout out their brick-and-mortar businesses ahead of the holidays for a Brian Lehrer Show listener-sourced gift guide.

For our climate segment of the week, Stephen Hammer, chief executive officer of the New York Climate Exchange, discusses how the first election of President Donald Trump galvanized the fight against climate change and offers his take on what he sees as a "glimmer of hope" for the second Trump administration.

As our centennial series continues, Zinga Fraser, assistant professor of Africana Studies and Women's and Gender Studies, director of the Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College and the author of Shirley Chisholm In Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings (University of California Press, 2024), looks at the life and legacy of Brooklyn's Shirley Chisholm, born 100 years ago this month.

The Adams administration and City Council struck a deal on the housing plan known as "City of Yes," and a key committee in the council voted to approve it. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about what's in the deal, and when the final vote will take place.

Ruth Marcus, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, talks about the latest national political news of the day, including the status of President-elect Trump's nominees, plus offers her opinions on how she sees Trump's plans to expand presidential power and undermine democracy.

Kathryn Garcia, director of state operations for the state of New York, explains how the state will implement the congestion pricing tolling program that Governor Hochul paused, and then un-paused at a lower price point.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.Goodbye to Broker Fees (First) | Record Number of Homeless Children in NYC Schools (Starts at 31:44) | How to Reconcile After Estrangement (Starts at 57:19)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

After Donald Trump was elected the first time, in 2016, people were publicly and visibly shocked; women marched with pussy hats and the so-called "resistance" sprang up. Jennifer Gerson, reporter at the 19th, reports on how the resistance vibes are different this time, and listeners opposed to Trump weigh in on how and whether they are planning to oppose his next administration.

Anna North, senior correspondent for Vox and author of their Kids Today newsletter, talks about the data showing a big growth in the number of toys in households with children, why it's not so fun for parents or children, and how some parents are trying, and often failing, to stem the tide.

Max Chafkin, senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek and host of the new podcast Citizen Elon, looks at how Elon Musk took center stage in Trump's campaign, and what the billionaire's involvement in the government might look like going forward.

Jessica Orozco Guttlein, senior vice president of policy and communications at Hispanic Federation, is joined by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District) to discuss how advocates are pushing for Temporary Protected Status for Ecuadorians and analyzes broader immigration issues as President-elect Trump prepares to take office.

BRCA mutations are inextricably linked with breast cancer in women, but they can also lead to cancer in the pancreas, prostate and more in men. Kristen V. Brown, staff writer at The Atlantic covering health and science, explains the link and why more men should get tested for the BRCA gene.

As Thanksgiving approaches, many Americans who are estranged from members of their family may be wondering how to reestablish that relationship. Fortesa Latifi, freelance journalist and author of an upcoming book on family vloggers and child influencers, discusses the prevalence of estrangement in America and offers advice for those looking to reconnect with their loved ones.

Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat who covers education policy and politics, talks about President-Elect Trump's priorities in education, including his campaign promise to dismantle the federal Department of Education, plus his nomination of WWE founder Linda McMahon for education secretary.

Evan Simko-Bednarski, transit reporter at the New York Daily News, talks about the planned shutdown of subway service to the Rockaways for repairs, alternative travel options, plus other transit news.

As some Democrats question their alliance with transgender rights, and Republicans, particularly Trump, successfully campaigned on anti-trans sentiments, Kate Sosin, LGBTQ+ reporter at the 19th, focusing on transgender rights, incarceration, politics and public policy, shares how people who identify as trans are bracing themselves for a second Trump presidency.

NYC's dining sheds have to come down by the end of next week. Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, breaks down what happens next for the restaurant industry, including new rules for roadway structures that will take effect starting April 1, 2025.

Daniel Klaidman, investigative reporter for CBS News, former editor-in-chief of Yahoo News and author of Kill Or Capture: The War on Terror and the Soul of the Obama Presidency (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012), and co-author of Find Me the Votes: A Hard-Charging Georgia Prosecutor, a Rogue President, and the Plot to Steal an American Election (Twelve, 2024), breaks down the megadonors who fueled Donald Trump's campaign for president and what they may want in the next 4 years.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including Monday's random stabbings, the drought warning, and his relationship with the incoming president.

Zack Colman, reporter covering climate and energy at Politico, talks about President-elect Donald Trump's pick of oil executive Chris Wright to be the secretary of energy and the takeaways from the first week of COP29, the annual climate conference with world leaders.

U.S. Senator (D, NY) Kirsten Gillibrand talks about her reelection, President-Elect Trump's cabinet picks, UFOs, and more.

Listeners talk about how the manage to keep their relationships going despite major political differences and disagreements.

New data show 1 in 8 children in New York City public schools are homeless, a record number. Christine Quinn, president & CEO of Win, the largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families in New York City, talks about the challenges homeless families face, and offers ideas on how to help solve a longstanding problem.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D NY-8th, Brooklyn), the author of, with illustrations by Shaniya Carrington, The ABCs of Democracy (Grand Central Publishing, 2024), talks about the election results, and his new book based on a speech he gave on the House floor last year.

As our centennial series continues, Gideon Rose, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the former editor of Foreign Affairs and author of How Wars End (Simon & Schuster, 2010) reviews the history of American foreign policy toward the Middle East alongside Rami Khouri, Palestinian-American journalist, senior public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut, nonresident senior fellow at the Arab Center Washington, op-ed contributor Al Jazeera online, and co-author of Understanding Hamas: And Why That Matters (OR Books, 2024).

Chi Ossé, New York City council member (District 36, Bedford Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights), talks about his recently-passed bill that will ban broker fees, long a major financial hurdle that renters have to overcome - and responds to the criticism from the real estate industry.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.How Trump will undo Biden's signature climate law (First) | The impact of the uncommitted movement (Starts at 24:00) | The Gen Z bro media diet (Starts at 48:15)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Katelyn Jetelina, founder and author of the newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about what may be coming down the road for public health, as President-elect Trump considers giving noted vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and others who have questioned settled science, leading roles in the administration.