Podcast
Hosted by A.R. Hoffman & Rebecca Sugar
A.R. Hoffman (Associate Editor of the Sun) and Rebecca Sugar (Columnist at the Sun) will be joined by buzzy and thoughtful guests to break down the week’s news, share their hot takes and long views on where it's all heading, and keep you sane all the while.
Episode 73
In this episode we analyzed the election results out of Michigan, broke down the Jason Arday debacle at Cambridge University, took stock of a depressing congressional scandal, cheered on Boy George, and offered Mayor Mamdani some unsolicited advice.
Episode 72
In this episode we debated the meaning of all the Fauci news — there's no taking the 5th on "Sanity." We also took stock of the disastrous pied-à-terre tax rollout, offered a review of "The Odyssey," discussed Mamdani being unable to find a Jewish lawyer in NYC, and shared a Yiddish expression you'll never be able to unhear.
Episode 71
In this episode we broke down Zohran Mamdani's quest to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, took stock of the latest nuclear news out of Saudi Arabia, debated America's path forward on election security, offered a history lesson on the perils of socialism, and wondered where all the Jewish writers went.
In this interview we spoke to the Inspector General of the United States Department of Labor, Anthony D'Esposito. He briefed us on the White House's Fraud Taskforce, the legal landscape, how fraud is evolving, and how many millions of dollars New York loses every day to theft of taxpayer money.
Episode 70
On this episode we took stock of Lindsey Graham's legacy, discussed the panic over AI data centers, analyzed the votes on Israel that are dividing the Democrats, and vented about Ro Khanna and J.D. Vance.
In this interview we spoke to neuroscientist, educator, and bestselling author Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath about tech in schools, how to break our addiction to screens, the future of AI in education, how to lengthen our attention spans, and strategies to recover the ability to read and think deeply.
Episode 69
In this episode we analyzed the implosion of Graham Platner's campaign, went behind the scenes of the NATO summit in Turkey, wondered if the Iran war is really back on, explored why everyone stopped reading, took stock of Rahm Emanuel's trip to Israel, and looked at one explanation for why housing is so expensive.
In this interview we spoke with Dr. Brian L. Cox, an expert in international law, about the state of war today. We discussed when a war is legal, the credibility of bodies like the ICC and ICJ, the genocide accusation against Israel, and the rationale for America's and Israel's attack on Iran.
Episode 68
In this episode we celebrated America's semiquincentennial and went coast to coast to see how the country is marking its quarter-millennial. We also debriefed the end of the Supreme Court term, discussed the WNBA, took stock of Trump's newly minted billions, and noted 1,000 days since October 7, 2023.
In this interview we talked with Batya Ungar-Sargon, the host of Batya! on NewsNation and a frequent contributor to the New York Post and other publications. Her book "Jews and the Left" takes the long view of how we arrived at today's crisis.
Episode 67
In this episode we discussed the radicalism engulfing the Democratic Party, the end of Keir Starmer's time as UK prime minister, the latest from the Supreme Court, whether everyone should get their own NYC parade, and if Taylor Swift could possibly be serious about getting married at MSG.
Episode 66
In this episode, we discussed the terms of Trump's Iran MOU, delved into the latest on the filibuster and SAVE Act drama in the Senate, remembered the Lubavitcher Rebbe, were baffled by a new policy out of California, and wondered if this is Mayor Mamdani's worst ally yet.
In this interview the associate editor of the New York Sun, A.R. Hoffman, sat down with Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. They discussed the state of the race, why Governor Kathy Hochul is vulnerable, the rise of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and what issues really matter to New Yorkers.
In this interview we spoke to Caroline Shinkle, who is running as a Republican to represent the congressional seat that covers the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and all of Midtown. She talked about why she likes her chances in a Democratic stronghold, how she plans to take on Mayor Mamdani, and why her pro-market message can stem the socialist tide.
Episode 65
In this episode we discussed the final (we think) vote totals from LA, talked about why Israel-American spy drama is heating up now, worried about the future of social security, marveled at the beauty of candle-lit concerts, got ready to celebrate Bloomsday, and debated Gwyneth Paltrow.
Episode 64
In this episode we reviewed the Trump-Netanyahu showdown, broke down the races in California that are transfixing the country, discussed the horrific murder of Henry Nowak in England, were impressed by Marco Rubio's use of rap lyrics, and celebrated a first for the IDF.
Episode 63
In this episode we discussed the AI encyclical from the Vatican, analyzed the growing scrutiny on Hasan Piker, broke down Mayor Mamdani's housing plan, dove into Europe's migrant crisis, and denounced the exclusion of Jews from Pride festivities.
In this interview we spoke with analyst Gordon Chang of the Gatestone Institute. He provided insight into Beijing's recent summits with Presidents Trump and Putin, China's long-term trajectory, Xi Jinping's relations with Iran, and the fate of Taiwan.
Episode 62
In this week's episode we dove into primary pandemonium, debated the legality of President Trump's "Anti-Weaponization Fund," predicted what's coming in Cuba, translated Sally Rooney into Hebrew, and said goodbye to civil rights legend Bob Woodson, Sr.
In this interview we spoke with Nadhim Zahawi, a former Member of Parliament, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Chairman of the Conservative Party in Britain who is now backing Nigel Farage's Reform Party. We discussed the seismic UK elections this week and what's next for Britain and Europe.
