Shows
America: The Story of the USAWho is JFK?Today, we turn our focus to a figure who remains as enigmatic as he is iconic. Ascending to the presidency at one of the tensest moments in American and world history, he energized a nation with his call for a “New Frontier,” navigated the shoals of the Cold War, and inspired Americans with his vision for space and civil rights. Yet behind his polished image lay personal struggles, political obstacles, and a legacy marked as much by tragedy as by promise.So in this episode, on the anniversary of his inauguration, I’m asking… who is President John F...
2026-01-2059 min
What Rough BeastThe Paradox of ToleranceThis week we talk to “What Rough Beast” regular Cy Canterel about fractured realities, fascism’s fatal flaw, and why keeping a diary might be the most radical act you can do right now. She joined us for a live this past week. We discuss:* How the Renee Good murder revealed that motivated reasoning—not actual ambiguity—is fracturing American reality* Why the paradox of tolerance matters now: what does a pluralist society owe people who … can’t handle plurality?* The underground genealogy of the current moment (spoiler: it’s been brewing in evang...
2026-01-191h 18
What Rough BeastOn the 5th Anniversary of the InsurrectionThis week, on the occasion of the five-year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, I want to share a couple of conversations I had on the first anniversary of the insurrection with Reps. Jamie Raskin and Hakeem Jeffries, and Jamelle Bouie. What you’ll hear are vivid accounts of that day, and you’ll hear about what this seemed to mean for who we are as a country, and where we were (and are) headed. What Rough Beast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, cons...
2026-01-0850 min
What Rough BeastTrump's Godfather foreign policyThis week we talk to Fred Kaplan, the national security columnist for Slate and author of seven books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (his most recent non-fiction), The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War (which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist), and his most recent, A Capital Calamity, a thriller-satire novel.We discuss:* The Venezuela “double tap” incident — why shooting survivors of a speedboat attack is literally the Pentagon’s textbook example of a “clearly unlawful order”* The end of Pax American...
2025-12-1850 min
What Rough BeastAlex Karp and the Masturbating Girl: AudioAlex Karp and the Masturbating Girl. Is squirming in your seat erotic, pathological, subversive, insane? Alex Karp and Palantir believe it's genius. https://virginiaheffernan.substack.com/p/alex-karp-and-the-masturbating-girl This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe
2025-12-1109 min
What Rough BeastWhy Smart People Keep Falling for Powerful IdiotsThis week we talk to Cy Canterel (again!), about her recent video essay “Epstein, Elite Power Networks, and The Utility of Disgrace.” Cy is a New Orleans-based “feral scholar,” a media theorist/technologist decoding systems of power and meaning. We discussed:* World Systems Theory as a map for understanding elite power: How Immanuel Wallerstein’s framework reveals the parallel reality inhabited by the ultra-wealthy—a class that exists “state-free” by choice, moving agnostically between systems to extract resources* What the Epstein emails actually reveal: Beyond individual scandals, the documents show systematic patterns of how power consolidates—fro...
2025-11-261h 09
What Rough BeastHarvesting chaos with Kristianna SmithThis week we talk to Kristianna Smith. Kristianna Smith (they/she) is a visionary curious about how we bring our collective imagination to life. They are a liberation cultural worker, published author, facilitator, theatre artist, educator, gardener, experience alchemist, intuitive, and Queer Black Transformative Justice Mama. For over 15 years, Kristianna has been using play and theatre to dismantle institutional oppression and take up practices that move us closer to a structurally care-centered world. We discussed:* Why actions matter more than labels – How speaking about concrete policies first (free buses, taxing the wealthy) can cut through po...
2025-11-1136 min
America: The Story of the USAWhat is Disney's America... and Why Didn't It Happen?Last week, I asked if Disneyland was the happiest place on Earth.Well, this week, we’re looking at the Disney theme park that never was. The concept for a historical theme park was initially earmarked for Virginia, but less than a year after being announced, it was scrapped. But why?What was so different about this park compared to others? What was the public reaction? And when Disney was able to launch other parks, even cruise ships, and anything else it wanted, what went so spectacularly wrong with this?So this week, I...
2025-11-041h 00
OCCUPATIONS: The PodcastOCCUPATIONS 33 - JOURNALISM - Virginia Heffernan - Journalist/Staff Writer at The Republic
Virginia Heffernan, Journalist and Staff Writer at The Republic joins me for episode 33 of OCCUPATIONS. She tells us about her path to her incredible career full of different writing subjects and styles and, of course, has some great advise for those who might want to have a career in journalism.
2025-11-0100 min
America: The Story of the USABONUS: Cultural Appropriation or Recognition?In this bonus episode, Native American historian Camilla Townsend explores the grey area between appropriation and recognition, and how it's better to be symbolised imperfectly versus being completely forgotten.This follows on from our previous episode, Who is Pocahontas? as we continue our discussions on Native American culture and history....Special guest for this episode:Camilla Townsend, the author of Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma. She is also a Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University, and is one of the world’s foremost scholars on Native American history. Her work has va...
2025-10-2507 min
America: The Story of the USAWho is Pocahontas?The narrative of Pocahontas is often overshadowed by the simplistic and romanticized version depicted in films. In this episode, we untangle the truth from the many myths surrounding her life, led by historian Camilla Townsend of Rutgers University.We begin by examining Pocahontas's early life, born in the late 1590s to Powhatan, the chief of a confederacy of tribes in Virginia. While Pocahontas was indeed the daughter of a powerful leader, she was not a princess in the conventional sense. Her upbringing was steeped in the realities of tribal warfare.We take a critical look...
2025-10-2141 min
What Rough BeastWhat Mark Bray Knew in 2017This week we revisit a conversation from 2017 with Mark Bray, historian and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.Since this interview, Bray has faced escalating death threats and was forced to leave his position at Dartmouth after being falsely portrayed as a terrorist for his scholarly work documenting anti-fascism. After being called “Mr. Antifa” by Turning Point USA, the threats intensified to the point that he relocated to Spain. We’re replaying this conversation as a reminder of what anti-fascism actually is—and what happens to those who document it.We discussed:* The historic...
2025-10-1723 min
What Rough BeastThe Edgelord ApocalypseThis week we talk to Cy Canterel, a scholar of media theory and systems theory in New Orleans and author of the Substack “Abstract Machines.” We discuss:* The chilling subcultures breeding the next wave of violence. Why 4chan, Discord, and “black pill” nihilism are more dangerous than traditional political extremism.* The Kirk assassination wasn’t about ideology. It was about spectacle. Tyler Robinson may have chosen Kirk not for his politics, but because killing him would be the ultimate “high score” in a gamified reality where violence is derealised.* The invisible powder keg: armed, queer...
2025-10-0257 min
What Rough BeastThe Mitochondria ConspiracyThis week on “What Rough Beast,” we talk to Molly McKew, information warfare expert and author of the Great Power newsletter, about Russia's influence operations and the war in Ukraine. We discuss:* How Russia has been systematically manipulating American politics since the 1980s through oligarchs, soft power investments, and psychological operations* Why Trump's decades-long fascination with Russia makes him vulnerable to manipulation by Putin's regime* The disturbing speed with which Americans can be radicalized online—from wellness enthusiasts to conspiracy theorists in months* How Russian disinformation exploits America's lack of firm nation...
2025-09-201h 08
What Rough BeastThe Deportation MachineThis week, we talk to the great Sarah Stillman, Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer at The New Yorker and MacArthur Fellow who teaches investigative reporting at Yale. Her work focuses on profiteering in the criminal justice system—from debtors' prisons and civil asset forfeiture to for-profit prison communications and companies exploiting disaster-recovery workers during climate crises. She previously ran Columbia's Global Migration Project, investigating immigration detention and asylum-seekers' rights. In this episode, we discuss:* That the numbers are staggering—180,000 people deported so far this term, with $170 billion set aside for enforcement* How family separations aren...
2025-08-2745 min
What Rough BeastThe Dictator Expert Who's Not WorriedThis week we sit down with Alastair Smith, author of The Dictator's Handbook, who thinks we might all need to take a deep breath about American democracy. We discuss:* How it's actually better to lose in a real democracy than win under a wannabe dictator (and the math that proves it)* Why keeping 22 million voters happy is fundamentally different from bribing 100 cronies, and what that means for whether you get roads or just graft* How Trump might be accidentally sabotaging himself with tariffs and Fed-bashing (markets hate uncertainty, who knew?)
2025-08-2150 min
What Rough BeastEpstein and the Swanky Leftist CompromiseThis week on What Rough Beast, Stephen and Virginia go deep on the Epstein conspiracy. Here's what we covered:* How Epstein represented a new class of ultra-wealthy who exempt themselves from democratic norms and why this scandal has traction when Trump seemed "Teflon"* Virginia's first-hand experience with John Brockman's Epstein-funded EDGE organization and the "intellectual dark web"* The physics envy pipeline from quantum mechanics to finance via IQ fetishism* How neo-Darwinism provided intellectual cover for predatory behavior* Why Trump supporters care more about "cover-ups" than actual crimes and whether...
2025-08-011h 06
What Rough BeastHow America's Freaks Switched SidesIn this episode of What Rough Beast, we talk to David Rees, host of Election Profit Makers and creator of the legendary post-9/11 comic strip "Get Your War On," which skewered the Bush administration's War on Terror through the voices of office workers having profane conversations about cluster bombs and nation-building. We discuss:* Iraq vs. Iran rhetoric: How the arguments for bombing Iran compare to the "extremely stupid" discourse that justified the 2003 Iraq invasion, and why Trump's impulsive approach differs from Bush's ideological war machine* The evolution of American freakiness: How the cultural currency of...
2025-07-1443 min
What Rough BeastJon Ronson Says Culture Wars Are OverToday on What Rough Beast, we talk to Jon Ronson, the masterful narrative storyteller behind the podcast "Things Fell Apart" and author of numerous acclaimed books. Jon has spent decades chronicling how America came unraveled, with particular expertise in tracking the origins of conspiracy theories and culture wars.In this episode, we discuss:* The extraordinary coincidence of timing: How virtually every major culture war that has engulfed America since 2020 erupted within just 20 days of each other in late May/early June 2020, right after George Floyd's murder* The deadly origins of "excited delirium": Jon...
2025-07-0332 min
What Rough BeastFear and Spectacle at ICEThis is What Rough Beast! We’re talking with Ben Wizner, the director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, which works to protect and expand the First Amendment freedoms of expression, association, and inquiry, and ensure that civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by new advances in science and technology. In this episode, we discuss:* The strategic theater behind ICE arrests - How dramatic detentions of elected officials like NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander are designed as performances for an audience of one: Donald Trump* Why litigation is w...
2025-06-1948 min
What Rough BeastHow to resist the regimeLast week, I spoke with human rights researcher and advocate Yaqiu Wang, whose recent NYT piece draws on the lessons of her childhood in authoritarian China. We talked about her detention in China when she was a student posting on an anonymous Twitter account, the capitulation of the elites, and how to resist obeying the regime. Watch our convo here, and or listen on Substack and anywhere you get your podcasts.Unlock more content and support the project of What Rough Beast by becoming a free or paid subscriber. This...
2025-06-1339 min
What Rough BeastLive with Nina BurleighThank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe
2025-06-1135 min
What Rough BeastWhy Populist Revolutions Always FailThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.comYou're listening to What Rough Beast!Today we're talking with Benjamin Teitelbaum, author of "War for Eternity: The Return of Traditionalism and the Rise of the Populist Right," who studies traditionalist movements and far-right ideology. We explore why these ideas have such allure in America today, using JD Vance as our lens to examine his conversion t…
2025-06-0251 min
What Rough Beast'I Was MAGA. I Got Out.'You’re listening to What Rough Beast!Today we’re talking with Rich Logis, a former Trump and MAGA supporter and pundit, who is now the founder of Leaving MAGA, an organization helping others break free from the movement. In this episode, we talk about:* Rich Logis's personal journey from dedicated MAGA supporter to founding Leaving MAGA* How information bubbles and community identity can lead people to reject contradictory evidence and view those outside their group as existential threats* The psychological process of doubting, leaving, and publicly renouncing a poli...
2025-05-1848 min
What Rough BeastAmerica's First Truly Radical ExperimentYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with the great writer and reporter John Jeremiah Sullivan. We discuss: * John’s forthcoming book "The Prime Minister of Paradise" about Christian Gottlieb Priber, a radical Enlightenment thinker who established a utopian experiment among the Cherokee in 1730s America* How Priber's vision for "Paradise" included revolutionary principles that were ahead of their time: religious tolerance, racial equality, democratic governance, and rejection of slavery* The forgotten history of radical Enlightenment ideas in early Americ...
2025-05-061h 41
What Rough BeastEmpathy as Strategy: The Meidas MethodYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with the great Ben Meiselas, co-host (and -founder) of the chart-busting MeidasTouch, and USC Law Professor. Virginia also recently profiled Meiselas for The New Republic.In this episode, we talk about:* How politics has become "gamified" like sports entertainment, with people choosing political figures like they'd pick fighters in a video game rather than focusing on underlying issues and values* The contrast between Meidas Touch Network's approach (focused on empathy, comp...
2025-04-271h 00
What Rough BeastEXCLUSIVE: U.S. watchlisted as 'repressive regime'You’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Mandeep Tiwana of CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists working to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world. And CIVICUS just added the United States to its Watchlist. In this episode, we talk about:* Why CIVICUS has put the U.S. on a democracy watchlist alongside countries like Serbia and Congo* The scary erosion of basic American freedoms like protesting, speaking out, and organizing...
2025-04-141h 15
What Rough BeastHow to Build an OppositionYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Michael Tomasky, author, journalist and editor of The New Republic. In this episode, we talk about:* The media earthquake nobody's talking about - this was the FIRST election where Fox News and right-wing media actually out-muscled the mainstream press in setting the national agenda (and it explains SO much about Trump's win)* The impossible trap journalists face today: try to debunk crazy stories about "immigrants eating pets" and you end up ampl...
2025-04-0343 min
What Rough BeastLiterature as Political ResistanceYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Nicholas Dames, a Columbia professor and editor-in-chief of Public Books. In this episode, we talk about:* The importance of political imagination in building community beyond our immediate circles of concern* How George Eliot's "Middlemarch" offers a model for empathetic action even during challenging times* The tension between stoicism and engagement as responses to political upheaval* How today's college students face unique anxieties about their futures and limited optionsTh...
2025-03-2848 min
What Rough BeastMAGA EugenicsYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Eric Reinhart, a physician-anthropologist of law, psychiatry, and public health and a psychoanalytic clinician in Chicago. A recent piece of his, “RFK Jr.’s Mental Health Bait and Switch,” recently appeared in The New Republic. In this episode, we talk about:⭐️ How the politics of health and mental healthcare are intertwined, and how clinical approaches often focus too narrowly on individual interventions rather than addressing broader social determinants of health⭐️ The weaponization of m...
2025-03-221h 03
What Rough BeastMusk's Damaged MasculinityYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Ben Tarnoff, whose latest book is Internet for the People: The Fight for Our Digital Future. We discuss:⭐️ How the dynamics between Trump and Musk reveal surprising power shifts, with Musk emerging as the dominant figure in what many describe as an unexpected alliance⭐️ The deep connections between toxic masculinity and tech culture, including how Silicon Valley's ethos of "conquest" and "elimination of opponents" aligns with MAGA politics⭐️ How wealth in tech capitalism...
2025-03-131h 12
What Rough BeastPirates, Feminism, and the Future of CareYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Nika Dubrovsky, artist, author and founder of the Museum of Care with her late husband, the anthropologist David Graeber. We discuss:⭐️ The collapse of empires: Nika draws fascinating parallels between the fall of the Soviet Union and current trends in American society, suggesting we may be witnessing the collapse of the American empire similar to how the Soviet system unexpectedly disappeared "from one day to another."⭐️ The Museum of Care: An innovative project Nika conceiv...
2025-03-0752 min
What Rough BeastThe Broligarchy PlaybookThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.comYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Brooke Harrington, author of Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism and a professor of sociology at Dartmouth, about:⭐️ The rise of the "broligarchy": how today's tech billionaire bros are playing a whole different game than old-sch…
2025-03-0508 min
What Rough BeastCitizen as a VerbThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.comYou’re listening to What Rough Beast!We are Virginia Heffernan and Stephen Metcalf, and today we’re talking with Baratunde Thurston about: ⭐️ The accelerated harm in current politics: how quickly harmful policies are being implemented, affecting immigrants, LGBTQ+ communities, federal workers, and international relations.⭐️ The crisis of democracy and c…
2025-03-0106 min
What Rough BeastThe Known UnknownsThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com“The professors are the enemy,” says J.D. Vance. Are they, really?This week on What Rough Beast, Stephen Metcalf and Virginia Heffernan speak with Wesleyan President Michael Roth about Trump’s authoritarian coup and what universities must do.As the coup gains speed, and rightwing campaigns to destabilize universities notch victories, Roth has taken a pu…
2025-02-1908 min
Wahoo Central PodcastWahoo Central Podcast With Terry HeffernanIn his third year on head coach Tony Elliott's staff at Virginia, Terry Heffernan oversees an offensive line that since the end of last season has added four transfers who have 101 college starts among them.
2025-02-1230 min
What Rough BeastCharisma Is Non-NegotiableWhat are we all whining about? On this episode of “What Rough Beast,” the great Turkish journalist Aslı Aydıntaşbaş tells Americans to grow up. To finish of Musk and MAGA, we need to marshal the power of the states. Fire up those famous checks and balances. Don’t be scared of infighting. And—for heaven’s sake—get an emcee with rizz. To Virginia, this sounds easier said than done. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes...
2025-02-1137 min
What Rough BeastEXCLUSIVE: What Musk Wants NextThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.comIf you’re being neurologically hammered by news from the front of Elon Musk’s coup, you’re probably reading scoops by Vittoria Elliott. Whether you’ve clocked her byline or not, it’s Elliott’s jaw-dropping reporting—and that of her WIRED team—that is driving coverage of Musk’s occupation of the U.S. government. On this episode of What Rough Beast, Vitto…
2025-02-0803 min
What Rough BeastReclaiming Your AttentionToday on What Rough Beast we talk to the great Miriam Elder, whose NY Times op-ed “Don’t Let Donald Trump Drive You Into Internal Exile,” got Stephen and Virginia dreaming of how to check out and skip T2 entirely. When they weren’t having nightmares about Jack Smith’s extinction, that is. And while Elder acknowledges the powerful seductions of internal exile—she counsels us against it. And gives Stephen and Virginia ideas of what to do. Dammit: why we always gotta stay in the fight?What Rough Beast is a labor of love and...
2025-01-2957 min
What Rough BeastThe Inauguration Counter-Programming EventIn this live-recorded episode, we invite a few guests to distract us from the Inauguration that by all accounts was a Nazi rally. Hear about the new masculinity from Moira Donegan, what the left should do now from Michael Hirschorn and the enabling of pseudo-realities from Kurt Andersen. If you missed us live, you can check out the recording here.What Rough Beast is a reader-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If...
2025-01-231h 59
What Rough BeastFirst They Come for the OystersIn this interview with Peter Shamshiri (5-4 Pod, If Books Could Kill), we discuss the transformation of the Supreme Court and conservative legal movement in America. We explore how the court has become increasingly aligned with conservative political ideology, the Federalist Society's 40-year influence, the role of originalism as a legal philosophy, and significant cases like Dobbs, Citizens United, and Trump v. Hawaii. How is it that personal grievances, cultural resentments, and abortion rights became central to conservative legal thought? And what will be the Court's future role under this second Trump presidency? Listen now!
2025-01-2041 min
What Rough BeastDisrupting DecorumOn our third episode, Elizabeth Weil joins Virginia and Stephen to discuss forms of radicalism as we head into an American regime that might call for it. In her New York Magazine piece, the climate activists Liz profiles capsize our assumptions about protest, democracy, and the speed of social change. Weil profiles provocateur and depressive Donald Zepeda, one of several radical activists who disrupt decorum by throwing paint on the Constitution’s protective glass—not to destroy these cultural objects, obviously, but to force us to confront how complacent are. Asheville is laid to waste and we can’...
2025-01-1037 min
What Rough BeastWhy Plant Bombs?In the second episode of What Rough Beast, we speak with Patrick Radden Keefe, whose nonfiction account of the Irish Republican Army, Say Nothing, was adapted last year into a Hulu series. Virginia Heffernan speaks with the acclaimed author of Empire of Pain about the parallels between those Irish radicals and Luigi Mangione.Thanks for reading Magic + Loss! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan...
2025-01-0449 min
What Rough BeastEpisode 1: What's to Become of Us?In our inaugural episode of WHAT ROUGH BEAST, Stephen Metcalf and I discuss the election, with a refresher on who won and who lost. We take an inventory of our despair and gallows humor and blind hope. Richard Rorty comes up. And stuff that happened to us in high school. In short: What’s to become of America? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe
2024-12-2846 min
What Rough BeastTRAILER: What Rough BeastIn this preview of our podcast “What Rough Beast,” Stephen Metcalf and I discuss what this podcast is, why it matters now, and what the deal is with our NAME. Let us know what you think, and stay tuned for episode 1. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe
2024-12-2302 min
America: The Story of the USAITM7: What Does Trump's Comeback Mean for American Politics?This podcast episode features a deep discussion on the recent presidential election and the implications of Kamala Harris's campaign performance. Ian and Farida Jalalzai analyze the complexities surrounding female voters, noting that 53% of women supported Donald Trump, raising questions about the intersection of gender and economic concerns in voting behavior. They explore the tactical missteps of the Harris campaign and how the dynamics of gender and race influenced the election outcomes. The conversation also delves into the troubling reality of Trump's ability to defy political norms and the potential consequences for American democracy as he returns to power. Throughout...
2024-11-1428 minAmerica: The Story of the USABONUS: Will Kamala Harris Break the Glass Ceiling?In this extra bonus, following on from a previous main episode, we delve into the prospects of Kamala Harris winning the presidency and the broader implications for women and candidates of color in American politics.Special guest Farida Jalalzai shares her insights on Harris' current campaign dynamics, highlighting both the enthusiasm surrounding her candidacy and the criticisms regarding the perceived lack of policy substance. Plus, we touche on the unique challenges Harris faces as a woman and a person of color, including the heightened scrutiny she may encounter compared to her male counterparts.We also...
2024-11-0212 min
America: The Story of the USAWill America Ever Elect a Woman for President?Since 1779, the United States have sworn in 46 Presidents. All very different - some democrat, some republican, even whigs, and federalists. Northern, southern, white, black, old, young. And each one has carved a different road to the White House, and left behind a unique legacy. But there is one common factor between them. All 46, without exception, are men. So in this episode, I want to know… will America ever elect a woman for President?...Special guest for this episode:Farida Jalalzai, Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and Engagement in the College of Liberal Arts and Hu...
2024-09-2445 minJournalism at DenisonVirginia Heffernan: Tina's TaleHonorable Mention at Journalism at Denison's sixth annual Podcast-a-thon in March 2024.Katie Houpt ’26 and Molly Way ’27 from professor Alan Miller’s journalism ethics course created “Virgina Heffernan: Tina’s Tale,” about a dilemma that Heffernan faced as a journalist while writing a profile on Tina Fey.
2024-04-0207 min
Busy BodyOzempic or Life with author and journalist Virginia HeffernanThis episode I'm joined by my former long-time client and friend, the incredible journalist and author Virginia Heffernan. Virginia is the author of Magic and Loss The Internet as Art. On today's show discuss the substack article she wrote about Ozempic. Virginia is a warrior for humanity's human-ness. We had a wonderful conversation. Be sure to subscribe to her newsletter and find her recent writing and media appearances here. Follow her on IG here.
Follow Busy Body Podcast on IG @brooklynstrength for free content to help your body feel better and opportunities to work with me dir...
2023-06-0352 min
Press Play On Your Ears To A Spellbinding Full Audiobook.Ring of Fire by Virginia HeffernanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/125609to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Ring of Fire
Author: Virginia Heffernan
Narrator: Nikki Zakocs
Format: mp3
Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 03-14-23
Ratings: Not rated yet
Genres: Canada
Publisher's Summary:
A valuable discovery under the world's second-largest temperate wetland and in the traditional lands of the Cree and Ojibway casts light on the growing conflict among resource development, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous rights. In this colorful tale, Virginia Heffernan draws on her bush and newsroom experiences to illustrate the complexities of resource development at a time when Indigenous rights are becoming enshrined...
2023-03-147h 30
the Essential Free Audiobooks in Non-Fiction, Current Affairs, Law, & PoliticsRing of Fire: High-Stakes Mining in a Lowlands Wilderness by Virginia HeffernanPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/652087 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Ring of Fire: High-Stakes Mining in a Lowlands Wilderness Author: Virginia Heffernan Narrator: Nikki Zakocs Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 30 minutes Release date: March 14, 2023 Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics Publisher's Summary: A valuable discovery under the world's second-largest temperate wetland and in the traditional lands of the Cree and Ojibway casts light on the growing conflict among resource development, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous rights When prospectors discovered a gigantic crescent of metal deposits under the James Bay Lowlands of northern Canada in 2007, the find touched off a mining...
2023-03-1430 min
Good Ole Podcast: A Virginia Athletics Podcast[Podcast] Virginia welcomes an impressive group for Junior Day, what's next for 2023?Wahoos247's Jacquie Franciulli breaks down the top headlines around Virginia football recruiting, including UVA's big weekend Junior Day, who are the targets in 2023, and what it means to add Terry Heffernan as the offensive line coach. 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
2023-01-1725 min
The Unspeakeasy With Meghan DaumNot Even Mad: Mike Pesca, Virginia Heffernan and Jamie Kirchick On Their New PodcastThis week The Unspeakable welcomes three guests. Mike Pesca, Virginia Heffernan and Jamie Kirchick are the hosts of the brand new podcast Not Even Mad. Mike, who's the host of the long running podcast The Gist, conceived Not Even Mad as an alternative to the glut of podcasts in which the hosts and guests do nothing but agree with each other. With Virginia representing the political left, Jamie the right and Mike in the middle, Not Even Mad offers balanced, informed discussions that also model civility and mutual respect. In this conversation, the three talk about how they manage this...
2022-10-311h 10
Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and ManipulationVirginia Heffernan: Edge, Jeffrey Epstein, & the Intellectual Dark WebYou're struggling to advance your writing career. You reach out to a mysterious book agent who seems to be the key to success, along with his exclusive group of intellectual heavy hitters. Little do you know, that group is not all it seems... and it's closely connected to an absolute monster. Journalist Virginia Heffernan shares the origins of male-dominated intellectual organization Edge, its promise of merging the arts and the sciences to create a "third culture," how she joined through founder John Brockman, and the lengthy list of prominent academics, billionaires, and artists involved, from...
2022-08-101h 14
This Is CriticalOur Bodies, Our Climate: How Heat Affects HumansAs heat waves rip across the globe, many climate pessimists are calling this "the coolest summer of the rest of our lives." Umair Irfan, climate reporter at Vox, joins Virginia to talk about the real impacts of extreme heat on humans, and the moral obligation we have to solve this problem — with resources that already exist.
2022-08-0430 minThis Is CriticalThe Twisted Road to WellvilleThe $4.4 Trillion (with a T!) wellness industry has captured the minds, bodies, and wallets of many women. But what are we actually paying for? Longtime scholar of the fitness landscape Rina Rapheal, author of the new book The Gospel of Wellness, joins Virginia to try to understand our winding and often demoralizing quest to feel "better."
2022-07-2829 minThis Is CriticalWhen Our Organs Are Under Surveillance: Privacy After RoeIn the wake of Dobbs, the conversation about digital privacy — and how abortion seekers can protect their data from law enforcement — has exploded. But what's actually important to online security, and what is a red herring? Cindy Cohn, Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, joins Virginia to get to the bottom of what individuals can do to keep their most personal data safe.
2022-07-2130 minThis Is CriticalHow to Change a MindIn a time when people are more dug in than ever on partisan beliefs about the world, is it ever possible to change anybody's mind? Science journalist David McRaney, author of the new book How Minds Change, says yes. He and Virginia investigate the psychology of how we come by our beliefs — and the tried-and-true methods social scientists recommend using to change peoples' minds — even on hot-button issues.Listen to David's podcast with ex-Westboro Baptist Church member Megan Phelps-Roper here.
2022-07-1432 minThis Is CriticalCooling Off is a Hot TopicUntil the 1920s, public pools were all over this country, racially integrated and a popular summer activity for all. So what changed? Historian Jeff Wiltse, author of Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America, joins Virginia to recount the history of public pools in the 20th century — and share the pleasures of swimming together, as the world grows hotter
2022-07-0731 minThis Is CriticalStagecraft, Storytelling, and the January 6th HearingsNearly a year and a half after the Capitol was breached, the January 6th Committee is making its case to Congress and the nation on TV. But how effective is their storytelling? Story scientist Angus Fletcher joins Virginia to dig into the science of narrative and why this committee has its work cut out for it.
2022-06-3030 minThis Is CriticalDefying Digital HateFor women, abusive messages from strangers are simply the cost of using social media platforms. But according to Imran Ahmed, Founder & CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, there is both hope and recourse. Imran joins Virginia for a rousing and empathetic conversation about how to navigate – and eventually, end – this online “tax on women”.
2022-06-2334 minThis Is CriticalThe Bleak Ideology of Food CrazesIt seems like you can't swing a spatula without hitting a claim that eating this way will make you happier, stronger, and more productive. As it turns out, diet trends are neither new nor politically innocuous. Lisa Haushofer, author of the upcoming Wonder Foods: The Science and Commerce of Nutrition, joins Virginia to dig into the outsized promises of idealized foods — and their roots in imperialism and racism. During the course of the conversation, Lisa credited the work of a number of her colleagues; here are those citations.Rosenberg, Gabriel N., and Jan Dutkiewicz. “Abolish t...
2022-06-1628 minThis Is CriticalThe Best of SlimesToday's slime toys are not your kid brother's ooey-gooey, neon-green puddles: they're unicorn-colored, calming, ASMR wonders. Science journalist Daniel Engber joins Virginia to dig into a contemporary cultural history of slime — and why it's more relevant today than anyone could have predicted.
2022-06-0926 minThis Is CriticalHere's to New Mrs. RobinsonIn Julia May Jonas’s shocking debut novel Vladimir, the unnamed narrator — a 58-year-old female English professor — takes her lust for a younger colleague to unimaginably dark lengths. How do the ripple effects of patriarchy impact how we understand, even empathize with her monstrous actions? Jonas joins Virginia to mine the depths.
2022-06-0232 minThis Is CriticalDemystifying the Black ManosphereEric Eddings and Brittany Luse, hosts of the For Colored Nerds podcast, take Virginia on a wild ride through the wildly popular Internet subcultures of the Black Manosphere and its almost-counterpart, Femininity Coaching. They get into why Black men and women might feel drawn to these reactionary gender roles, and why it seems like each group is talking past the other.
2022-05-2638 minThis Is CriticalTucker Flexes His Big Man MusclesWith his bozo ode to testosterone, Tucker Carlson joins the ranks of Mussolini, Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump in a pose of cartoon virility. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author ofStrongmen: Mussolini to the Present joins Virginia to break down the authoritarian’s obsession with this weird flex—and what happens when he can’t pull it off anymore.
2022-05-1933 minThis Is CriticalThe Deeply Weird Mind of Elizabeth HolmesIn The Dropout, showrunner Liz Meriwether created a fictional version of audacious megascammer Elizabeth Holmes. How was Meriwether able to humanize a such a dangerous fraudster? Liz joins Virginia for a rousing conversation on all things The Dropout.
2022-05-1238 min
Lady to Lady"Drive By Tweezers" ft. Virginia HeffernanVirginia Heffernan (@page88) joins the ladies to talk about dealing with debt, what they like to splurge on and whether or not you should shave above your knees. They also talk about those annoying chin hairs, they play WWWWW and answer two lady problems about moving to a new city and getting your boyfriend to propose!Have a lady problem that needs answering? Send the ladies an email at: ladytoladycomedy@gmail.com or, better yet, leave us a voicemail at (323) 6BUTT30!Want to support the show and get access to bonus content? Yo...
2022-04-131h 33This Is CriticalThe Dirtbag WifeYou can have a decent marriage, and also think your husband is a "snoring heap of meat". Virginia talks with Heather Havrilesky, author of Foreverland: The Divine Tedium of Marriage.
2022-03-2438 min
Global Connections with Robert Siegel - Navigating The New NormalPeople vs Technology - Who's Winning? Interviews with Prof Sherry Turkle, Nicholas Carr, & Dr. Virginia HeffernanAired April 2021
American Friends of Rabin Medical Center presents its monthly leaders forum, Global Connections with Robert Siegel: Navigating the New Normal, on society, the economy, real estate, medicine, technology and science.
Moderator Robert Siegel (host of NPR's All Things Considered from 1987-2018) interviews:
Prof. Sherry Turkle (MIT Social Studies of Science & Technology; Founding Dir., MIT Initiative on Technology & Self; Author, The Empathy Diaries: A Memoir)
Nicholas Carr (former Executive Editor, Harvard Business Review; Author, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains)
Dr. Virginia Heffernan (Columnist, LA Ti...
2022-03-221h 08
COVIDCallsEP #448 - 3.3.2022 - Pandemic Culture Update w/Virginia HeffernanToday I welcome journalist and cultural critic Virginia Heffernan back to COVIDCalls.
Virginia Heffernan is an accomplished journalist and cultural critic—she is a regular contributor to The New York Times, as well as The Wall Street Journal, Mother Jones, and Politico. She writes a regular column for Wired Magazine and the LA Times—and she is co-host of the Trumpcast on Slate. She is also the author of Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art (2016) with Simon and Schuster. She hosts the This is Critical podcast.
2022-03-041h 10
Decoding the GurusInterview with Virginia Heffernan on Edge, the dangers of Scientism, & Culture WarsOn this week's show we have a broad ranging discussion with the well known journalist and author Virginia Heffernan. Virginia has written a bunch on the topic of technology, social media, scientism, and especially the Edge organisation. We discuss her research into Edge and related figures but also range further afield to cover debates in academia, the culture war and gurus, anthropology debates in the 90s, race & IQ rationalists, and other such topics.One short service note is that Matt is incognito for part of the conversation as he had a prior appointment so you will have...
2022-02-262h 22This Is CriticalSaying Yes to UlyssesTo celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, Virginia’s dad and James Joyce scholar James Heffernan shares his love of the notoriously difficult novel. Open to all, no pre-reqs needed.
2022-02-2448 min
Media RoundtableWhat is Fact? What is Fiction? Media Critic Virginia Heffernan Reframes the Digital ArgumentNo one sees the truth and the Internet like Virginia Heffernan. Online since she was a child in the ‘70s, Heffernan is a Harvard Ph.D. whose book examining digital culture, “Magic and Loss: The Internet As Art ” was called “An illuminating guide to the internet” by the Wall Street Journal.
Heffernan’s a contributing editor for Wired, frequently writes for The LA Times, The Atlantic, and the NY Times, and hosts the podcast This is Critical which fans call “my drug of choice” and “a joy to listen to.” This week she joins Media Roundtable to talk a...
2022-02-231h 14
Fake the NationHow Is This Happening in Canada? (w/ Leah Bonnema and Virginia Heffernan)This week Virginia Heffernan and Leah Bonnema join Negin to discuss Canada's truck strike and if they are winning any supporters. Then a very serious conversation about the years long McDonalds vs Burger King's fast food war. Finally, a conversation about an article in Vox that takes a look at comedies identity crisis.
——Thank you to this week’s sponsor:athleticgreens.com/FAKETHENATION - (a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase)TrueBill.com/FAKETHENATIONStamps.com - (Sign up with promo code FAKETHENATION for a speci...
2022-02-1750 min
Let's Get CivicalInterview with Virginia Heffernan!In this week’s episode of Let’s Get Civical, Lizzie and Arden sit down with journalist, author, and host of the podcast “This is Critical”, Virginia Heffernan! Join them as they discuss…well…many things, including current events, the power of media, and how a study from Brookings made a positive impact! Listen to This is Critical wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @letsgetcivical, @lizzie_the_rock_stewart, and @ardenjulianna. Or visit us at letsgetcivical.com for all the exciting updates! Learn mor...
2022-02-091h 11
In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTVVirginia Heffernan Talks Trolleys, Holidays and Other StuffWherein Virginia Heffernan returns to the show to talk about trolley problems, her favorite and least favorite holidays, Glenn Gould, and why she doesn't think Donald Trump is more powerful now than when he was president. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2022-01-251h 04
The Rewired SoulBONUS: Staying Sane and Sober in an Age of Chaos with Virginia HeffernanEpisode Notes
Virginia Heffernan is one of the top journalists out there covering tech, culture, politics, science, and everything in between. But aside from being an amazing author, she's also been sober since 2011. In this episode, we chat with Virginia about her experience with addiction, getting sober, and how she copes in this hectic world while covering such stressful topics.
Follow Virginia on Twitter @page88
Check out Virginia's podcast This is Critical
Get a copy of Magic and Loss
Get your free books by Chris here: https://bit.ly/3vkRsb6
Follow...
2021-10-311h 27This Is CriticalOMG FACEBOOK IS DOWN!!!For a few hours on Monday, the relentless stream of conspiracy memes, thirst traps, and LuLaRoe pitches went silent. Facebook went unconscious. Meanwhile, a whistleblower prepared to testify in front of the Senate about what exactly Facebook knows about the problems it causes. Virginia Heffernan talks to journalist Steven Levy about what's going on and media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan about what's next.
2021-10-0640 minThis Is CriticalDid Broadway Get Radicalized in the Dark?We all know that theater loves social justice — or is that just a show? As curtains rise again, we just might have our answer. Virginia Heffernan talks to award-winning playwright Paul Rudnick about Broadway’s political evolution, and how hard it is to adapt comedies like The Devil Wears Prada for a new decade, plus a pitch from comedian Kate James.
2021-09-3039 minThis Is CriticalTalk Trash to MeThe NFL is cracking down on it. Donald Trump can’t stop doing it. And it’s the whole reason for the first rule of social media: “Never read the comments.” Trash talk is uncivil, unsportsmanlike, and not for the faint of heart. But what if you could learn to use it to your benefit? Virginia Heffernan talks to former pro basketball player Dre Baldwin to find out how to trash talk on the court and in life — with some tips and tricks from comedian Mike Albo.
2021-09-2341 min
In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTVWhere's the Lie, Virginia HeffernanWherein we are joined by Virginia Heffernan who will spin a yarn about something and see if we can discern her veracity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-09-221h 00This Is CriticalComing Soon: This Is CriticalStarting September 23, Virginia Heffernan is examining all the cultural creeds we take for granted — you know, the ideas that are so deeply embedded that you don’t even know that you believe them, they’re just the air you breathe. Each episode features fearless, sophisticated culture criticism for all generations. Nothing is off limits, nothing dumbed down.
2021-09-0701 min
In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTVAvoiding the Taliban with Virginia HeffernanWherein the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan and it's too depressing to discuss, so Virginia Heffernan joins us to talk about county fairs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-08-1758 min
In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTV Virginia Heffernan & Mike Pesca Make Their Debuts, April 8, 2020Wherein we are joined for a pre-seder, pre-Easter drink by Virginia Heffernan—host of Slate's Trumpcast, writer, thinker, student of plague literature, and Episcopalian mother of Orthodox Jewish children—and Mike Pesca, host of Slate's podcast, The Gist, and all around great talker and wit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-07-301h 03