Morning Meeting

This week, Mark Seal reveals the amateur detectives who busted a group of cyber-scammers who impersonated Brad Pitt and swindled a woman out of more than $850,000. Then, speaking of swindles, Jeffrey Toobin explains why no one can stop Trump from handing out pardons. And finally, Mark Ellwood reports on the island of battling billionaires. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Andrew Zucker reports on the latest luxury for Ivy League nepo babies of the 1-percenters: private, white-glove housing stocked with amenities. (So long, grungy communal bathroom down the hall!) Then, George Pendle takes us inside what he calls the March (of) Madness—his version of college basketball’s March Madness bracket, but this is your chance to choose which of Trump’s actions in the past month has been The Worst. And finally, Linda Wells discusses Ozempic 2.0, how to schedule a midlife divorce, and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Graydon Carter, the founder of AIR MAIL and author of 'When the Going Was Good,' shares captivating tales from the golden age of magazines and his personal rules for living. He reflects on journalism's evolving landscape and the significance of personal connections in storytelling. Jacob Bernstein dives into the downfall of composer Danny Elfman amid harassment accusations, revealing the complexities of consent and shifting Hollywood dynamics. Together, they explore nostalgia for mid-century America and the intricacies of personal relationships.

Would you be surprised to learn that the man Putin has tapped to negotiate a Ukraine peace agreement with Trump is a rich, Ivy League smoothie who spent time on Wall Street? Andrew Ryvkin tells us about the man who has Trump’s ear. Then Alessandra Stanley explains why the Anti-Defamation League should be standing up to the president, rather than coddling him. And continuing on the theme of organized criminal behavior, Michael Sragow joins with his review of the new Robert De Niro gangster movie, The Alto Knights.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you think things can’t possibly get worse, you might want to duck and cover. John von Sothen has the incredible story of how the U.S. Air Force dropped a nuclear bomb off the coast of Savannah, Georgia—and it is still there. Then, there was a time when New York’s Waldorf Astoria was the epitome of a great hotel … until the Chinese Communist Party bought it. What could possibly go wrong? Our writer Ben Ryder Howe reports. And finally, with the arrival of an outpost of one of France’s most influential department stores in Lower Manhattan, Christine Muhlke asks: Can Printemps make shopping fun again?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, is Donald Trump smarter than we think he is on foreign policy? Could he, as some say, be pulling a "Reverse-Nixon"? Our colleague George Pendle joins us with his insights. Then, Tesla used to be the car of choice for virtue-signaling Democrats. Now, as liberals all over the world unload what some are calling their "Swasticars," in anger at Elon Musk, our writer Simon Mills asks if MAGA loyalists will step in to help with the drop in sales. And finally, Linda Wells stops by with the latest news on all things health- and beauty-related, including a report on "Spermageddon" among men and what they can do to increase their odds of becoming fathers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alessandra Stanley, Air Mail co-editor and former New York Times bureau chief, discusses how Trump reshaped political dynamics. Alex Belth, Esquire Classic editor, reveals the fascinating transformation of Woody Allen's 'Annie Hall' from a flop to a masterpiece through significant editing changes. Sam Wasson, Hollywood author, sheds light on the influential roles of Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg in shaping the film industry. The conversation navigates through the intersections of politics and film, tracing their enduring impact.

Elon Musk is all over Washington, D.C., these days. But did you know that before he became the emperor of DOGE, he was a needy recipient of government spending? Oz Woloshyn reveals all the details. Then Lesley M. M. Blume tells the riveting story of a woman who discovered her grandfather’s secret history: he survived a Nazi death camp and was the subject of a powerful profile written by one of the great journalists of World War II. And finally, here at Air Mail, we have a new podcast. It’s called Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli, and it is all about The Godfather, and co-hosts Mark Seal and Nathan King stop by to tell us about it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s become a common worry in America: why can’t we listen to each other? Well, 60 years ago, the great American writer Studs Terkel showed us all what happens when we do listen to the stories and perspectives of others, when he wrote his landmark book, Division Street, and Ash Carter tells us why the book is more relevant than ever. Then Simon Mills joins us from London with his investigation into how and why Aperol has, like a bubbly orange tsunami, overtaken cocktail lounges from Naples to New York—and why Italians fear it’s keeping down birth rates. And finally, Jennifer Gould reports from New York City on how Trump is rolling out the red carpet for kleptocrats and anyone looking to bribe U.S. government officials.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Goldstein was one of Washington, D.C.’s top lawyers, arguing 44 cases before the Supreme Court. Yet few knew he was also one of the world’s highest-rolling—and most reckless—poker players, racking up millions of dollars in winnings and losses. Then his worlds collided. Our writer George Pendle has the full, jaw-dropping account. Then, after an almost 10-year absence, a new Bridget Jones movie is coming to theaters, and two of our writers, Carolina de Armas and Victoria Herman, couldn’t help but wonder: How would Bridget navigate the Gen Z New York City of 2025? And speaking of movies, Stuart Heritage joins us from London with his report on the Prince Charles Cinema. For years, this independent movie theater has been beloved by such movie greats as Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson, who are just a few cinephiles who consider it perhaps the greatest movie house in the world. But now it is under threat of closure, and Stu will tell us if it is indeed the last picture show.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.