Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso The New Yorker at 100 (with David Remnick)
12 snips
Dec 14, 2025 
David Remnick, the long-serving editor of The New Yorker, discusses the magazine's centennial, sharing insights from his tenure since 1998. He analyzes Zohran Mamdani's significant mayoral win and reflects on the documentary capturing the magazine's evolution. Remnick touches on the challenges facing journalism today, the importance of deep reporting, and the necessity of maintaining public trust in media. He also shares personal stories about his early life, musical influences, and the enduring creativity of artists like Joni Mitchell.
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A Promising Yet Unproven Mayor
- David Remnick sees Zohran Mamdani as talented, disciplined, and representing underrepresented voters in NYC.
- He cautions Mamdani lacks executive experience and will face relentless governance pressures on day one.
Behind-The-Scenes of The New Yorker Film
- Remnick describes being filmed at home and in the office for the Netflix documentary as unnerving but revealing.
- He enjoyed the process but felt the camera's presence was like a probing colonoscopy instrument.
Subjects Controlling Their Own Story
- Remnick notes subjects now control their narratives via social media, podcasts, and documentaries.
- That shift forces The New Yorker to pursue deeper, longer reporting and creative approaches like write-arounds.
