Offline with Jon Favreau

Madeline Ashby, futurist and WIRED contributor joins Offline to talk about her recent piece “Hollywood’s Future Belongs to People — Not Machines." She and Jon discuss how the entertainment industry is “unbundling,” the role of art in creating social cohesion, and the hubris of TV execs who think AI will deliver content that is fast, good AND cheap. Then, Jon and Max discuss the decline of streaming and subscription models, how AI could be used by reporters, and the problem with community leaders being replaced by sh*tposters. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Jason Goldman, former Chief Digital Officer in the Obama White House, joins Offline to break down “the AI election.” He and Jon talk through their fears for AI in politics, the ways they wish they could have used AI during their stints in the White House, and Jon asks Jason, a former VP at Twitter, his thoughts on Elon Musk’s leadership at the the app he helped build. Plus: Max and Jon talk about Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against ChatGPT and watch some very, very weird TikTok lives. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Will Sommer, author of Trust the Plan, joins Offline to talk about what QAnon actually is, how people are drawn into the world of Q, and how the Republican party has become intertwined with these conspiracies. He and Jon peel back the layers of the movement to understand how it’s being monetized, why Michael Flynn is a QAnon hero, and where you can find adrenochrome in real life (hint: it’s not in the blood of children!). Plus: Max and Jon join Threads, Mark Zuckerberg’s new Twitter.  For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Jon and Max answer your questions about AI, unions, writing and fallen titans — submersible and tech leader alike. Plus, America Dissected’s Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joins Offline to talk about how the internet age endangers public health, how to persuade people to get vaccinated, and why debates are the wrong setting to talk about science, especially when RFK Jr. is involved. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. 

Simone Giertz, YouTube’s favorite inventor and robotics enthusiast, joins Offline this week to discuss the joy of building useless things and why adults should be able to play like kids do. She and the guys talk about overcoming perfectionism, the joys of “forward facing” activities, and how branding pastimes as productive vs. meaningless undermines the creative process. Jon and Max train their sights on Simone’s most recent invention, and then they talk about ways to cut down on their screen time, from positive reinforcement strategies to phone cases with teeth and electric shocks. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. 

Catherine Price, science journalist and author of The Power of Fun and How to Break Up with Your Phone, joins the show to close out The Offline Challenge. After a dramatic sendoff from our Offline Chancellor, Catherine talks with Max and Jon about the effectiveness of the past month’s unplug challenges, from cold turkey to clown cases. Then she outlines how to stay broken up with your phone and explains why the guys’ screen addictions are a symptom of a larger problem. The three conclude that a phone breakup isn’t about what you lose, but about what spending less time on your phone can help you gain. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Social media is ubiquitous among young people. But is it safe? Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, joins Offline to break down a new Surgeon General’s Advisory that warns social media may be harmful to children and offers Jon a doctor’s perspective on how to overcome his phone addiction.

Kat Abu and Andrew Lawrence watch Fox News every night so you don’t have to. As researchers at Media Matters, a right-wing media watchdog, it’s their job to monitor the conspiracies and propaganda spreading on the network. Andrew is one of the nation’s leading Fox experts, having watched primetime Fox since the 2016 campaign and Kat has recently brought their work to new audiences, breaking down Fox News in weekly viral TikTok explainers. They join Jon to talk about this unusual moment at Fox News, whether the network is finally facing its comeuppance, and what watching these shows for a living does to a person. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Ben Smith, Semafor founder and former Editor-in-Chief of Buzzfeed News, joins Offline to discuss what the shuttering of newsrooms at Buzzfeed and Vice means for the future of journalism. Ben’s new book, Traffic, traces the rise and fall of the digital media era. He and Jon talk about the personalities and publications that caused this phenomenon, the value of clickbait, and how the race to go viral was doomed from the start. Then, Jon and Max Fisher reunite to recap their week without iPhones and introduce next week’s Unplug Challenge. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. 

Introducing Offline’s Unplug Challenge! Jon and Max reflect on how their screen addictions have worsened their focus, hijacked their social lives, and even broken some bones. Faced with damning screen time reports, the guys take a big first step towards overcoming their compulsive smartphone habits. Offline Unplugged is a multi-week series that will invite hosts and listeners alike to rediscover the world that’s beyond our fingertips. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.