Since these guys are no longer under The Ringer unbrella and they are starting to expand into multiple podcasts (and eventually other types of media) I thought this deserved its own OT.
What is Crooked Media?
Crooked Media is a media startup that began as the podcast "Keepin' it 1600", the breakout success of The Ringer's podcast network from last year and my personal favorite political podcast of 2016.
After the Trump victory, the shellshocked hosts (well, three of the four) decided that part-time punditry was insufficient and wanted to transition into full-time political activism.
Who are these guys?
Founders
- Jon Favreau, Head Speechwriter for Barack Obama, 2005-2013.
- Jon Lovett, Speechwriter for Hillary Clinton, 2005-2008; Speechwriter for Barack Obama, 2009-2013. Also co-created the NBC sitcom "1600 Penn" and was a producer/writer on HBO's "The Newsroom" after leaving the White House.
- Tommy Vietor, Assistant Press Secretary for Barack Obama, 2009-2011; National Security Council Spokesman/Special Assistant to the President, 2011-2013.
Co-Host
- Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director, 2009-2013; White House Senior Advisor, 2013-2015. Current day job: Vice President for Communications and Policy at GoFundMe
As you can tell this is an unashamed group of liberal Democrats. They make no attempt to hide this or pretend to be ideologically neutral. (I don't think this is going to be a big problem here on GAF.) They are also incredibly well-informed and experienced people who were "in the room", so to speak, for most of the critical political moments of the past decade, from before the 2008 election until midway through Obama's second term. Also, Favreau wrote the "
Yes We Can" speech, by the way.
Has there ever been a more handsome presidential speechwriter than Jon Favreau?
I really doubt it.
So what are these podcasts with the bad puns? (click the images for the subscription links)
The continuation of "Keepin' it 1600" and the main podcast of the network. They describe it themselves as "A no-bullshit conversation about politics." Hosted by Jon Favreau, this is a twice-weekly show (with Jon and Tommy on Monday, and Dan on Thursday) which begins with a casual discussion and analysis of the week's
news, and then has a guest interview (or two) in the back half. Recent guests have included political activists, journalists, politicians, and
a certain amateur kitesurfer you might have heard of.
I used to think foreign policy was boring, complicated and irrelevant to my life. Then I served for four years as President Obamas National Security Spokesman. The hours I spent in Situation Room meetings, traveling abroad, and talking with the brilliant men and women who advised President Obama was the most fascinating education I ever had. It was a crash course in foreign policy that taught me two things: anyone can understand these issues, and we all have an obligation to try.
On Pod Save the World, Ill go behind the scenes with the people responsible for some of the most important foreign policy decisions of our time. Well geek out about the most important issues of the day, but talk like normal human beings. That means youll also hear cool stories, funny anecdotes and maybe a few F bombs. Episodes will come out every other Wednesday.
Your pals at Crooked Media could not be more excited about this show. Ana Marie Cox, political columnist, culture critic, twitter early adopter, pet photo enthusiast, FRIEND OF THE POD, and one of the funniest and most thoughtful writers around, is joining this burgeoning network with a podcast about, well, what divides us.
And good news: theres a lot!
Ana will talk to liberals and conservatives, religious leaders, writers, activists, and people you should know for a show thats about listening instead of arguing. And this isnt just about figuring out why some dude in Michigan voted for Trump. Though thats part of it. We should figure that out. Its about actually exploring division instead of putting it in side-by-side boxes on television, whether its a conversation about politics or religion, race or gender, or belief itself. Ana has accrued a bunch of unlikely friends in politics, and she has strong disagreements with those friends, like this one guy whose name rhymes with whoa far borough for example.
So why not have a civilized, thoughtful conversation (with some jokes and maybe the occasional oh come on because these are important issues and people feel strongly) and see what happens?
Every Friday night, Jon and a panel of comedians, actors, journalists, and some of the many, many famous Friends of the Pod will break down the weeks biggest news and deal with whatever bullshit came flying over the transom in our broken, insane political nightmare factory. Plus its produced by a former head writer for The Office, Lee Eisenberg! So its got that kind of a vibe too. There will be rants! Games! Bad impressions! Quizzes! Dramatic Readings! Shouting at cable news clips! And everyones favorite: nuanced discussion!
Organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson takes you inside conversations about culture, social justice, and politics by exploring the history, language, and people who are shaping the struggle for progress  and talking about the steps that each of us can take to make a difference.
What else?
There are plans to launch video and written content on the website,
http://www.getcrookedmedia.com/. It's also worth saying that a major theme discussed regularly on the show is turning the outrage and resentment towards Trump and the Republican government into real political movements that can actually achieve tangible political results, something I think many of us on the left are struggling with right now.
Let me know if I missed anything!
