Here We Go Again With Kal Penn

Kennedys, Clintons, Bushes, Trumps. For better of worse, their names are synonmous with American politics. We're rapidly approaching the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. But if we openly revolted against the monarchy that long ago, then why does America continue to prop up dynasty families? Or are there signs the dynasty is finally on its way out? Presidential historian Alexis Coe guides us through America's history of...

Hollywood is all about remakes. So, it probably doesn't surprise you to hear that the 2018 film, "A Star Is Born," starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, was its fourth -- yes, fourth! -- iteration. Why do we stick to stories that work? And what is it about this particular story that makes it so quintessential? Kal sits down with film critic, author, and You Must Remember This podcast host, Karina Longworth, to talk about why A Sta...

Voter turnout among young people is climbing, political affiliations are shifting, and the generation that grew up with social media is flexing their electoral muscle. Stacey Abrams is renowned for getting 800,000 people registered to vote in 2020. So, why is the youth vote so important? What's changed since 18 year olds gained the right to vote in 1971? And how have forces like Rock the Vote or TikTok shaped young people's POV on ...

These days, it can sometimes feel like the terms Democrat and Republican are confusing -- that they've lost meaning over time. Former Speechwriter and Pod Save America host, Jon Favreau, actually wrote his college thesis about a concept called "realignment." Or, the idea that political parties frequently reinvent themselves and their values. But why do the parties keep changing their identities? Is it as alarming as it sometimes fe...

Back in 2008, it seemed like everyone was talking about the financial crisis. And then came The Big Short, Michael Lewis' book-to-screen story that exposed the corrupt subprime mortgage industry and its impact on the 08 crash. Now, it seems like everyone's wondering: Are we heading towards another big recession? Who would you trust if you were that very man who exposed that broken system in the first place? Kal gets candid with jou...

“Content creator” is not a term they taught me in acting school, yet, the creator economy is turning Hollywood on its head. Internet content was once a springboard to the world of entertainment. It’s now its own billion-dollar industry. Is this just a phase, or are we headed for a future where Clooneys and Pitts are permanently replaced by Rizzlers and Beasts? To find out, we’re talking to the legendary ente...

As any indigenous community might tell you, many of this country’s newest trends — from Ayahuasca to hot yoga — are not so new after all. Taking other cultures’ traditions may be as American as baseball, apple pie, and light tax evasion, but where’s the line between borrowing, reinvention, and outright theft? Lakota writer, actress, and comedian Jana Schmieding has some thoughts.

See omnystudio.com/list...

The American Society for Civil Engineers gave the U.S. a C on its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. From public transportation woes to bridge collapses and that pesky plane delays, why can't this country make the jump to straight-A infrastructure land? And will we ever be able to rely on the subway to not get stuck when we have to pee really bad?? Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has some thoughts about how to break...