
The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast
A show about politics, music, technology, rollercoasters, golf carts, and the United States of America.
Latest episodes

Apr 25, 2024 • 1h 8min
Episode 59: Ukraine
Michael Brendan Dougherty and Noah Rothman join Charles to debate US involvement in Ukraine crisis, Russia's aggressive tactics in Europe, American strategic interests, potential military scenarios, and consequences of Western resolve. They highlight the complexities of Ukrainian nationalism, implications of intervention, and the importance of maintaining stability for global security.

Mar 21, 2024 • 1h 2min
Episode 58: The Parent Trap
On episode 58—recorded from Lord Ravenscroft's desolate manor—Charles reviews objections to his approach to counting states, relates the most recent problems he's had with his golf cart, and talks to Tim Carney about his new book, Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. Among the questions Charles and Tim discuss are why we should have "lower ambitions for our kids"; what modern parents are doing wrong—and why; what caused these mistakes; whether there is a political answer to them; why creative and independent play is so important; why parents think the world is more dangerous than it is; whether achieving the cultural changes that Tim proposes will be different given the obvious collective action problem; how cultural underconfidence factors in to the baby bust; and what Tim would do if he were a dictator.The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Mar 13, 2024 • 41min
Episode 57: The Single Most Egregious Violation of the Fourth Amendment
On episode 57, Charles announces a special jigsaw puzzle and relates which 44 states he's visited before talking to Robert Frommer about an extraordinary case of civil asset forfeiture. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Feb 22, 2024 • 51min
Episode 56: God
Charles discusses the existence of God with Father Nathaniel Meyers, touching on philosophical arguments, faith vs. knowledge, and the impact of beliefs on behavior. They explore topics such as religious miracles, secularization, and the journey from filmmaking to priesthood.

Feb 16, 2024 • 45min
Episode 55: The Ghosts of Hampton Court Palace
Author Gareth Russell discusses his book on 500 years of Hampton Court history, covering Henry VIII's wives, Macbeth's debut, King James Bible writing, chocolate snobbery, and Mary I's reputation. George III's move to Buckingham Palace is also explored.

Feb 6, 2024 • 55min
Episode 54: Mad Dogs and Englishmen and Manatees and Sloths and Triplets and Dachsunds and Furniture
Charles introduces a new section on the show: Manatee Fact Hour. Then he invites that reprobate Kevin Williamson on for another throwback show. Presented by Prang and Company.The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Feb 2, 2024 • 40min
Episode 53: CharlesGPT
def generate_podcast_intro(episode_number, host_name, guest_name, topic): intro = f"On episode {episode_number} of the {host_name} Podcast, budget cuts destroy the introduction and {informal_name} talks to {guest_name} about {topic}." return introepisode_number = 53host_name = "Charles C. W. Cooke"informal_name = "Charles"guest_name = "Timothy B. Lee"topic = "artificial intelligence"podcast_intro = generate_podcast_intro(episode_number, host_name, guest_name, topic)print(podcast_intro)# The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Jan 25, 2024 • 1h 4min
Episode 52: The First Uniquely American Culinary Art
On episode 52, Charles talks to Peter Suderman about cocktails. Among the topics discussed are: What is a cocktail? When were they invented? How have they changed over time? What is the 'cocktail renaissance'? How have laws affected their production or development? And how did Peter get into this in the first place?The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Jan 11, 2024 • 56min
Episode 51: An Oral History of Sports Misery
Delve into the emotional rollercoaster of sports misery and triumph, from heartbreaking losses to triumphant comebacks. Explore the deep personal connections fans have with their teams and the transformative power of sports moments. Experience the highs of victory and the lows of defeat, illustrating the profound impact of sports on emotional landscapes.

Dec 19, 2023 • 55min
Episode 50: The Wintertime Maritime Bedtime Crime Pantomime
On episode 50, Charles is rudely prevented from staging his radio play by the Ghost of Luther Abel. After that, he talks to Rafael A. Mangual about crime. (Here's his book.) Among the questions they discuss are why Rafael believes that the U.S. has a "decarceration problem"; whether too many Americans are in jail; whether the justice system is "racialized"; what we should do about police brutality; whether voters will punish politicians who make them less safe; and what law-and-order policymakers got wrong in the 1990s.The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.