The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comBill needs no introduction, but he’s been the formidable host of HBO’s Real Time for 21 years now, and before that he hosted Politically Incorrect, which ran from 1993 to 2002. He has a new book out, What This Comedian Said Will Shock You — a collection of his best editorials on Real Time. Also check out his podcast, “Club Random,” which he recently expanded into a pod network, Club Random Studios. Bill manages to do all of that and still perform standup on the road — schedule here.For two clips of our convo — on Bill not caving to political correctness after 9/11, and the two of us debating the credibility of the Gospels — pop over to our YouTube page. Other topics: Bill going to church every Sunday as a kid; his Irish-Catholic dad turning away from the Church after Pope Paul VI; how the left today is bonkers; how Biden is captured by wokeness; the toxicity of the Trump cult; getting his GOP rivals to bend the knee; Ann Coulter’s balls in opposing him; the crisis of mass illegal migration; the dickishness of DeSantis on lab meat and rainbow bridges; his sensible approach to Covid; election deniers; the remarkable progress of legal weed and marriage equality; Bill’s movie Religulous; his admiration for Jesus as a philosopher; Muhammad the invading warrior; slavery in the Bible; the conflicting accounts of the Resurrection; whether Paul was a closeted gay; Christianity starting as a bourgeois religion; the pagan origins of Christian holidays; Richard Dawkins; the rise of the nones; wokeness as a religion; Bronze Age Pervert; Lauren Boebert on church/state; American exceptionalism as Christian heresy; October 7th; the profound illiberalism of Hamas; their Nazi-like tactics; “Hamas wants to commit genocide but can’t — Israel can, but won’t”; Rafah as Dunkirk; Biden’s Morehouse speech; Trump’s insane antics as the ultimate teflon; his humor; wokeness as a gold mine for comedy; comics who cave to PC; Trump’s energy on the trail; and Bill’s grueling book tour offering insight into campaigning.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Nellie Bowles on the woke revolution, Noah Smith on the economy, George Will on Trump and conservatism, Lionel Shriver on her new novel, Elizabeth Corey on Oakeshott, Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy on animal cruelty; and the great Van Jones! Send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comOren is a writer and policy advisor. In 2012, he was the domestic policy director for Romney’s presidential campaign, and in 2018 he wrote The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America. In 2020, he founded the think tank American Compass, where he serves as executive director. He’s also a contributing opinion writer for the Financial Times.For two clips of our convo — on how China cheats at free trade, and the possibility of Trumpism without Trump — pop over to our YouTube page. Other topics: growing up in a stable family in suburban Mass; both American parents grew up in Israel; Oren’s progressive charter school; turning to conservatism at his very liberal college; studying political economy; working at Bain; the gap between wealth and happiness; the stagnant protectionist UK before Thatcher; Brexit; how London is almost unrecognizable to older Brits; Adam Smith and David Ricardo; how no one predicted the fall of the Soviet Union; Tiananmen Square; neoliberalism’s obsession with GDP growth; NAFTA and the WTO; the China Shock; how the success of the free market swung the pendulum too far; the meaning of populism; Oren working for the Romney campaign after the Great Recession; the growing trade deficit; Biden following the Trump playbook on tariffs and industrial policy; semiconductors in Taiwan; the CHIPS Act; the left’s disdain for patriotism; the cheap labor of open borders; E-Verify; how the college-for-all model is a “toxic disaster”; Biden’s loan forgiveness; Trump’s advantage in the 2024 election; his growing multi-racial coalition; his tax cuts and their looming expiration; Republicans rethinking labor unions; reformicons like Reihan and Ross; and me calling out Yglesias for never paying for The Weekly Dish. (Subscribe!)Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Nellie Bowles on the woke revolution, Noah Smith on the economy, Bill Maher on everything, George Will on Trump and conservatism, Lionel Shriver on her new novel, Elizabeth Corey on Oakeshott, and the great Van Jones! Send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Best magazine editor Adam Moss discusses the power of magazines, creative disruption in journalism, the rise and fall of iconic publications, the impact of the Internet, and the evolution of storytelling in the digital age.

Author Johann Hari discusses Big Food's tactics to get us hooked and the risks of weight-loss drug Ozempic. He shares personal struggles with food, the marketing tactics targeting kids, and the potential dangers of these drugs. The conversation also covers bariatric surgery, past diet drug disasters, and the link between obesity and cancer risk.

Journalist Kara Swisher discusses her rough childhood, early internet days, and the evolving media landscape with Andrew Sullivan. They touch on topics like woke culture, legacy media condescension, and the influence of tech giants like Facebook. The conversation also covers personal anecdotes, military aspirations, and the collaborative spirit of the early web.

Journalist Eli Lake discusses Israel, anti-Semitism, and Kanye in a lively conversation. Topics include his upbringing in Philly, love of rap music, Kanye's genius and anti-Semitism, historical perspectives on Jew hatred, complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the influence of key political figures like Ben-Gurion and Netanyahu. The conversation also delves into the Catholic Church's history, anti-Semitism in historical figures, and reflections on challenging political ideologies.

Neil J. Young, writer and historian, discusses the history of the gay right, including the Postal Service snooping on letters and Trump's support among gays. Topics range from growing up gay in a Baptist family to the Mattachine Society and the Lavender Scare. The discussion covers the unique challenges of being a gay minority born randomly in the US and the libertarian tradition of gay activists.

Journalist and politician Daniel Finkelstein discusses his latest book on Hitler, Stalin, and his family survival. Topics include comparisons between the Nazis and Soviets, growing up in Hendon, the Nuremberg and Eichmann trials, the Hitler/Stalin pact, the gulags, and more.

A deep dive into topics such as evolution, consciousness, intelligence, faith, and cultural discourse with renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. From growing up in colonial Africa to discussing the complexity of evolution and the divinity of nature, the conversation covers a wide range of intriguing subjects.

Abigail Shrier discusses the harm therapy can do to kids, including the impact of puberty blockers on IQ and health. They cover topics like social media's effect on kids' mental health, the rise in therapy for children, and the debate on social emotional learning in schools. They also explore childhood trauma, resilience, and the impact of smartphones on teen mental health.