The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda. She is the recipient of Guggenheim and other fellowships; an advisor to Protect Democracy; an MSNBC opinion columnist and television commentator; and publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo - and how they can be defeated. This is our first live-audience podcast taping! And it's a truly riveting conversation about America's chilling flirtation with fascism, Donald Trump's dangerous authoritarian behavior, the ongoing threats to democracy of Trumpism, the death of the Republican Party, and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Frank Rich is a journalist, author, and television producer. A writer-at-large for New York magazine, he was previously chief drama critic and an OpEd columnist for the New York Times. He executive produced the long-running HBO series Succession and Veep as well as the limited series White House Plumbers and the documentaries Six by Sondheim and Becoming Mike Nichols. Frank's books include The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina and the memoir Ghost Light. He has been awarded 6 Emmys, 3 Peabody Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards, and a Producer’s Guild Award. His journalism honors include the George Polk Award for Commentary and the Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism from Harvard University. He has twice been a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In 2015, he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. His new limited series for HBO, The Regime, starring Kate Winslet and directed by Stephen Frears, is scheduled to premiere in March 2024. Join us as Frank takes us on a riveting ride through his celebrated life and illustrious career, sharing memories of childhood, his early theater inspirations (including his relationship over the years with iconic composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim), his tenure at the New York Times, and his award-winning work in television. He also shares his thoughts on the state of the media, AI, the comparisons to Succession's Roy family with the Trumps, and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Edie Falco is a television, film and stage actor whose roles on HBO's Oz, Showtime's Nurse Jackie and the iconic HBO series The Sopranos have earned her multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards. She currently stars in the hit Peacock series Bupkis as Pete Davidson's mother. Her Broadway credits include the Tony Award-winning play Sideman, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune, ‘Night Mother, and The House of Blue Leaves, for which she received a Tony Award Nomination. Off-Broadway she’s appeared in The Madrid, This Wide Night, The True, and Morning Sun. Her work in feature film includes Cost of Living (American Film Institute’s Best Actress Award), Laws of Gravity (Independent Spirit Award nomination), Sunshine State, Landline, Hurricane, The Funeral, The Addiction, Freedomland, The Land of Steady Habits, Judy Berlin, and the Avatar sequels. …as well as indie film pioneer Hal Hartley’s classics The Unbelievable Truth and Trust, which also starred my late wife Adrienne Shelly. Edie and I intimately chat for an hour about childhood, life, family, addiction, her illustrious career, The Sopranos, a possible Nurse Jackie re-boot, Trump and politics, the Knicks, her animal-welfare work and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jasmine Crockett is an attorney, former member of the Texas House of Representatives and currently serves as the US Representative for Texas’s 30th Congressional District, which covers much of the city of Dallas and parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties. She is a member of the House Oversight and Agriculture Committees. Rep. Crockett is back in THE BACK ROOM discussing her home state's draconian abortion and immigration laws, the chaos and dysfunction of the Republican House Crazy Caucus, the Trump crazy train, and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Caitlin Keating is a New York City based filmmaker, journalist, and co-founder of Wise Fool Films. She produced 'Take Care of Maya' ,which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and released on Netflix last year. She previously spent over a decade as a reporter and writer at People magazine, having covered hundreds of exclusve human interest and crime stories across the country. She also hosted People's first episodic human interest series, and has contributed to The New York Times, among many other leading publications, and has appeared on NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, Investigation Discovery’s hit show People Magazine Investigates, and People Now. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Over 25 years in comedy, Gary Gulman has established himself as an eminent performer and peerless writer whom the New York Times said is “finally being recognized as one of the country’s strongest comedians.” He’s made five TV specials, including the critically-acclaimed new stand-up special for MAX, Born on 3rd Base. He recently released his memoir, Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the 80’s…and can also be seen in the 2019 international blockbuster Joker and the Hulu comedy series Life & Beth, alongside Amy Schumer. Gary's an incredibly funny stand-up comic and a brilliant comedy writer. Our conversation is both hilarious and insightful, and inspiring, as we discuss his HBO/Max stand-up comedy specials, his hilarious new book, his childhood, mental health, and overcoming challenges. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

James Kirchick is a journalist, historian, columnist for Tablet magazine, writer at large for Air Mail, and the author of the NYT bestseller, SECRET CITY: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic, the New York Review of Books, New York and Rolling Stone among others. He’s a frequent speaker at colleges and universities across America and at venues including the National Security Agency, the U.S. Department of State, the Oslo Freedom Forum and the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. He’s also appeared on Good Morning America, Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC and NPR. Jamie shares his childhood, the evolution of his political thinking and early career, and discusses Israel, antisemitism, campus free speech, homophobia, transphobia, his book about gay DC, and what it's like being a gay conservative in America today. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Tina Nguyen is a national correspondent for Puck, covering the world of Donald Trump and the American right. Previously, she was a White House reporter for Politico, a staff reporter for Vanity Fair Hive, and an editor at Mediaite….and was nominated for a James Beard Award for her coverage of the restaurant industry while working at The Braiser. She is the author of the new book The MAGA Diaries: My Surreal Adventures Inside the Right-Wing (And How I Got Out), an explosive, first-person account chronicling the rise of the MAGA movement . Join us for this fascinating conversation as Tina shares her journey through the ground levels of the conservative recruiting machine and into Donald Trump's MAGA cult. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael J. Gerhardt is the Burton Craige Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Scholar in Residence at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and the foremost scholar on impeachment in the United States. He is one of only two legal scholars to testify in three different presidential impeachment hearings and served as Special Counsel to the Presiding Officer in Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial. He is the author of six books, including his latest, THE LAW OF PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT: A Guide For the Engaged Citizen, is on sale January 9th. Join us for this compelling chat about Donald Trump, his two impeachments, and his ongoing threat to democracy; the Republican-led evidence-free Biden impeachment inquiry and the partisan weaponization of the impeachment process; the Constitution and the history of impeachments; and the motivation for his new book. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jo Carducci, also known as "JoJo From Jerz", is a mom living in the Jersey suburbs who, in the wake of the 2016 election, was looking for an outlet to share her frustrations and fears about Donald Trump, so she joined Twitter (X). And she hasn’t looked back since. What once was a sounding board to vent with like-minded people, has turned into a full-time commitment to standing up for democracy and against tyranny in her signature snark and sass. You can find her on all the socials, at http://Patreon.com/JoJoFromJerz, on her Are You F’ng Kidding Podcast, and on Substack with her newsletter of the same name. Join us for this fun, lively conversation about Jo's fascinating journey from her childhood in Morristown to suburban single mom to social media sensation! Jo shares with us how and when she found her political voice, and how as a 'resister' she uses it to speak out against Trump, Trumpism and the Republican Party. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel