House of Strauss

Certain stories just grab you and Erich Schwartzel’s “Behind the Tragic, Instagram-Perfect Life of an Ex-Disney Executive,” is such a tale. After I read it, I knew we needed to have a conversation about the now deceased Dave Hollis, a man whose seemingly perfect life was upended by the project of broadcasting it. Erich is a star entertainment reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Friend of Pod, and fascinating thinker on these modern issues. This is the first podcast I’m submitting to the Youtube channel and I’d encourage you all to subscribe. Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comHad to send word to our favorite New York Postman. Had to do it in lieu of ESPN’s Pat McAfee using his show as a platform to attack ESPN brass, by name. What the hell is happening here? What direction is ESPN going? Who is this “Norby” guy McAfee’s mad at? We get into it.

We are joined by Spike Eskin, friend of pod, Rights to Ricky Sanchez co-host, and WFAN muckity muck. This was a wide ranging one, including but not limited to:* My shaky foray into tweeting, in defense of ratings talk* Spike and I discussing what it’s like to have a negative take and how it tilts what you want* NFL writer Bill Barnwell takes a shot at the Eagles fans* A subscriber emails me a Sam Hinkie takedown for Spike to address* Can civilians do real NFL analysis? * A reader agrees with Spike and hates on the Bear.* Would Mad Men be better with New York accents? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comJay Caspian Kang is a great writer and astute observer of Media Culture. Today, the genesis of our conversation is his podcast on whether politics has a place in sports anymore. Jay and I both agree that the Trump Era politics in sports moment has ended for now (I’m more in favor of it ending than he is). We also get into his contention that NBA media is unusually soft/cheerleading among media sectors. Jay might even be more critical of NBA media culture than I am, so naturally we get into this. Enjoy and Happy New Year…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur preeminent sports media critic is back! Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post is here for a discussion that includes but isn’t limited to…* Yes, Brock Purdy vs. analysis from Steven Ruiz and others* Do we dare do a “What if Purdy was Black?” hypothetical? * Why are NFL quarterbacks usually conservative and religious? * Is Mark Cuban selling his majority Mavs stake an NBA red flag?* How the Posey San Francisco comments played out in local media* The Defector goes after Bill Simmons over the sports gambling boom. * Is Pat McAfee’s ESPN show struggling?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI love Tyler Dunne’s approach to covering the NFL, which you can find on his Go Long Substack. Tyler chases a deeper understanding instead of low calorie clicks, so it was surprising/hilarious to see his 21,000 word deep dive on the Bills coach go viral due to one embarrassing anecdote (Hint: It has something to do with 9/11). We get into the story, the fallout, Josh Allen, and so much else about modern football in this episode.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comThe Gist host Mike Pesca made an embarrassing confession to me, supported with evidence: In 2023, House of Strauss was Mike’s most listened to podcast. Not only did Mike air this shameful admission, but he graciously agreed to do a Year in Review pod with me about HoS. In it, we get into many topics, including how certain interviews went, how other interviews should have gone and how much basketball do I actually watch nowadays. Enjoy…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comStar Substacker Rob Henderson has written a spectacularly haunting memoir of his own life, titled Troubled. Consider this podcast a sneak preview, as the book is coming soon and you won’t want to miss it. Rob is not only among America’s leading millennial intellectuals, but his upbringing is among the roughest I’ve ever heard. It’s a miracle that he’s self sustaining, to say nothing of achieving so highly as a writer and thinker. With all that in mind, we discuss the vast chasm between his native Red Bluff, CA and the Ivy League campus he eventually arrived at. Rob, who coined the term “luxury beliefs,” has a lot of thoughts on how higher status Americans are broadcasting the wrong messages to those who live elsewhere. Oh, and we get into the issue of university presidents in hot water over the “genocide hearing.” Enjoy…

Steve Kornacki is, as you may know, the affable guy who gives you highly accurate election information on NBC. He’s got other projects, though, and I found this one fascinating. In this episode we discuss “The Revolution,” a podcast series on Newt Gingrich’s rise to power. Kornacki’s series argues that the Newt-fueled 1994 Republican takeover of the House is crucial to understanding our current era. Before the 1994 midterms, we were in one political reality; Afterwards, the country fundamentally changed. Steve and I talk about all this, plus get into why he avoids sharing any of his own politics. Oh, let’s tease this: Steve gets into what the 2022 midterms meant and why he believes the Dobbs effect is overstated. Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comComing off Sunday’s thrashing of the Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers are riding high. Naturally, we had to have 49ers +/- host Tim Kawakami on to discuss a variety of Niners and Niners adjacent topics. Of course, given Tim’s status as the best sports writer in the state over the last two decades, we also had to get into why the industry isn’t doing a better job delivering a product TK’s succeeding with. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why LA-based sports writers tend to leave sports writing * Tim wrote a Brock Purdy column that might be his most read ever* TK’s thoughts on 49ers fans getting mad at Purdy doubters like Steven Ruiz* Is Trent Williams the most valuable Niner? Do offensive linemen get their proper due?* If customers are flocking to this Niners content and John Canzano is crushing it in the Pacific Northwest, then what is the sports writing industry missing?