Show overview
The Preamble has been publishing since 2021, and across the 5 years since has built a catalogue of 497 episodes, alongside 5 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 310 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a several-times-a-week cadence, with the show now in its 19th season.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 33 min and 43 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Education show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 1 weeks ago, with 27 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2022, with 153 episodes published. Published by Sharon McMahon.
From the publisher
The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the stories and ideas driving our future, bringing clarity and honesty to every headline. If you want real insight, bold conversation, and answers that matter, this podcast is your must-listen. Hit play, and join the movement that will shape history. An Audacy Podcast.
Latest Episodes
View all 497 episodesMayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 12
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 11
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 10
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 9
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 8
Introducing Family Lore
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 7
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 6
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 5
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 4
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 3
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 2
Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 1
Growing Hope: What Depression-Era Gardens and Rainn Wilson Teach Us About Hard Times
During the Great Depression, Detroit officials carved up vacant lots and handed exhausted families seeds and tools. It wasn't a hobby — it was survival. And a lesson for today: hope isn't just a feeling, it's a habit you practice. Then Rainn Wilson — yes, Dwight Schrute — joins Sharon to talk about the loneliness epidemic, the rise of cynicism, and why posting about something isn't the same as changing it. Be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) A story on how to practice hope (00:07:50) The loneliness epidemic (00:22:41) Rainn Wilson’s on his faith To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
America at 250: Staying Hopeful, plus Saying No in a World That Demands Yes
Are we heading toward a second civil war? No, but what might happen could still be unsettling. Sharon has an honest conversation with YouTube civics creator Mr. Beat about radicalization, propaganda, and why there’s a difference between optimism and hope. Plus, in a culture that rewards compliance and punishes pushback, Dr. Sunita Sah tells us why saying no can be courageous and the most effective thing you can do. And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) Could the US have another civil war? (00:12:13) Optimism vs hope (00:20:58) Saying no in a world that demands yes To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to Becoming You with Suzy Welch
bonusHere on The Preamble, we look for the historical context and the factual clarity behind the headlines because we know that understanding the "why" helps us navigate the "what." But as we look at the big stories driving our future, we can’t ignore the smaller, quieter stories happening in our own lives—the transitions, the pivots, and the big questions about our own purpose. Questions like: “What should I actually do with my life?” and “How do I make the hard decision to stay or go?” Today, I’m sharing a special introduction to a voice that brings that same commitment to clarity and honesty to the art of self-discovery: Suzy Welch. Suzy is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and the professor at the helm of NYU’s most popular class on authentic purpose. She is a leading expert on decision-making, but she delivers her expertise with a refreshing, irreverent wit. On her podcast, Becoming You, Suzy tackles the "freaking truth" about life and work today without leaving you in despair. Find Becoming You with Suzy Welch wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Condoleezza Rice on Democracy, Patriotism, and Why She Still Has Hope
Sharon tells us why sugarcoating history doesn’t help any of us. Truly loving your country means acknowledging the not-so-great and even horrible moments of its past. Plus, Condoleezza Rice was banned from restaurants and movie theaters as a child because of the color of her skin. She went on to become Secretary of State. And somehow, after everything she's seen, and where we are now, she's still optimistic about democracy. You'll want to hear why. And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) What it really means to be a patriot (00:08:29) Condoleezza Rice on growing up in the segregated south (00:23:42) The future of democracy To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learning From Our Differences and the Antidote to Doomscrolling Anxiety
Did you know that only 4% of new marriages in America happen between Democrats and Republicans? Or that three quarters of white Americans don't have a single friend who isn't white? David McCullough III — grandson of the beloved historian — shares his bold idea for fixing what's tearing us apart. Then, author Katherine May puts into words something most of us feel but can't quite name — that exhausting loop of bad news, social media outrage, and dread. She says the antidote is closer than you think. And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) Getting out of your bubble (00:12:50) Studying “abroad” in the US (00:22:36) The antidote to doomscrolling anxiety To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Long History of Demonizing Immigrants: From the Great Depression to Today
Before ICE raids, there were pamphlets warning Americans about immigrant "peasants" stealing their jobs and "hell ships" dumping people into the Mexican desert with no food, water, or way to reach their families. Sharon looks back at the parallels between the mass deportations of the past and what’s happening now. Plus, historian and author Ana Raquel Minian joins Sharon to discuss her book In the Shadow of Liberty and the cruelty of immigrant detention in the United States. She explains why brutality was the point. And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) The Long History of Demonizing Immigrants (00:13:03) Ellis Island Was a Prison (00:27:48) Mass Incarceration of Immigrants To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Elyse Myers’ New Book and Harriet Tubman’s Faith
You might know her as the woman who got dragged to a taco bell where her date ordered one hundred tacos and she got stuck paying for them. Elyse Myers’ hilarious re-telling of that story launched her career, and now she’s out with a new book, That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You. She joins Sharon to talk about her struggles as a kid, and what happened when she learned her brain worked differently, and there was nothing wrong with that. Plus, Tiya Miles is here to discuss Harriet Tubman, and how her faith guided her. Even if you think you’re an expert on Harriet Tubman, you’ll learn something. And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) The Worst First Date Ever (00:12:25) Learning to Accept Your Differences (00:19:06) Harriet Tubman’s Unwavering Faith To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices