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Jesse Armstrong, the Emmy Award-winning creator of HBO's "Succession," joins Offline to chat about how he made a mockery of Silicon Valley tycoons in his new movie, âMountainhead.â He and Jon discuss why the men who run social media companies are so anti social, how hard it is to satirize people who are already parodies of themselves, and compare notes on their writing process. Then, Offline welcomes an old friend back to the show to celebrate the Musk-Trump fallout.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Are we surveilling our children too much? Do we need fancy gadgets to track their sleep? Should we be taking so many pictures of them? Longtime New York Times culture critic Amanda Hess joins Offline to discuss why the optimization of childhood may just be another empty promise of the information age. Amanda's new book, Second Life, follows her digital identity crisis as she grapples with her newborn baby's rare genetic disorder, traversing the Facebook groups, Reddit threads, spy cams and momfluencers she and other parents use as a 21st century substitute for a proverbial village.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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To celebrate his final appearance on the pod, Max takes Jon on a trip down memory lane, sharing his favorite Offline clips from the past two yearsâincluding lessons he learned while trying to take control of his screen time, insights about loneliness in the digital age, and a touching reflection on what it means to pay attention to what you pay attention to. But first! Your favorite millennials discuss a terrifying AI model thatâs likely to kick off the fake news apocalypse and the Democratic Partyâs new not-so-secret secret plan to win back the support of young men (and what Democratic donors should spend their money on instead).
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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The tech elite believe AI is just a few years away from displacing most computer-based jobs, and they seemâŠexcited about it? Atlantic staff writer Matteo Wong joins Offline to discuss why Silicon Valley thinks AI is more important than anything happening in politics or the economy, and why itâs all eerily similar to their optimism around social media in the 2010s. But first! Max shares a personal update that we all hate, and then it's onto the news. This week, foe of the pod Elon Musk decided heâs done spending millions to be fake friends with Donald Trump. Americaâs edge lord may be posting less, but xAI is still spreading the good word. Max and Jon explain why Grok got so obsessed with unfounded claims of white genocide in South Africa, examine why Jon is STILL getting in Twitter fights, and explore new research on social media's dubious teen accounts.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Jia Tolentino, author of Trick Mirror and staff writer at the New Yorker, joins Offline to discuss how itâs becoming harder and harder to make sense of reality, especially with AI taking over our feeds. She and Jon talk about how online distrust bleeds into life offline, parenting in this moment of endless horrors, and the inspiration (or lack thereof) behind her latest essay, "My Brain Finally Broke." But first! Jonâs X account may have gotten hacked, but even a crypto scam couldn't stop him from getting his social media fix. Then, he and Max dig into Trumpâs attacks on the U.S. Copyright Office, and the concerns it raises over the material AI companies are using to train their models. Finally, the guys explain how the new pontiff has come out against the technology, and why âLeoâ is an homage to the last pope to preside over an industrial revolution.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Lauren Greenfield, director of the acclaimed FX docuseries âSocial Studies,â sits down with Jon to talk about the year she spent shadowing a group of LA teens as they navigated their very online lives. The kids gave Lauren permission to screen record their phones for the duration of filming, and the result is an intimate, frenetic and often horrifying account of what it's like to be underage on the internet. But first! Mark Zuckerberg is crushing the podcast circuit with relatable anecdotes about his underground bunker and replacing human friends with AI companions. Meanwhile, his frenemy Elon Musk is making a not-so-triumphant departure from DOGE. Jon and Max discuss whether the Departmentâs next step is a full-scale American panopticon, then say a little prayer for AI Pope Trump.
"Social Studies" curriculum and resources: https://www.learner.org/socialstudies/
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Pete Hegseth isnât the only one who loves a group chatâturns out Silicon Valley's descent into Trumpism was powered by a constellation of Signal and WhatsApp chats between Americaâs tech overlords. Max and Jon walk through the Marc Andreessen-powered phenomenon, then discuss how Jeff Bezos was forced to kiss Trumpâs ring this week by walking back Amazon's response to his tariffs. Next up: how will Gen Z's lifestyle subsidy (cheap AI) compare to millenialsâ lifestyle subsidy (cheap Ubers)? And finally, whatâs the most disturbing way people are using AI chatbotsâŠand why does it involve John Cena?
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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This Terminally Online preview breaks down the liberal mediaâs response to the back-and-forth between Larry David and Bill Maher, right-wing transvestigations, and TikTokâs âbroken bone theory.â For the full episode and more Terminally Online, subscribe by April 30th to enjoy 30 days of Friends of the Pod for free! Support Crookedâs mission while unlocking ad-free episodes for Offline with Jon Favreau, exclusive content, a great Discord community, & more. Sign up now at crooked.com/friends or through this feed on Apple Podcasts.
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Googleâs antitrust trial is all gas no breaks this week, with the Justice Department asking a federal judge to break up the $1.81 trillion dollar company. Jon and Max discuss all the possible outcomes, and why Googleâs products have stagnated the more theyâve come to dominate the internet. Then, new research finds that people who deactivated Facebook or Instagram before the 2020 presidential election became significantly happier and less anxious. The guys break down the study's unsurprising results, then set their sights on dual right wing fever swamps: the online charge to overthrow the Supreme Court and the pronatalist movement championed by Elon Musk and an army of tradwives. Finally, what is Cluely, the undetectable AI designed to help you cheat, and is it really as harmless as spell check or calculators? Max and Jon round out the episode by answering listener questionsâwhat historical event does Max wish he couldâve spied on via Signal chat? And when was the last time Jon touched grass?
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Free speech warrior Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand this week to defend Meta in a big antitrust case that, if successful, could break up the social media giant. Max and Jon run through the trial thus far, and discuss how Silicon Valley tycoons skewered themselves by supporting Trump. Then, the guys delve into the ever-improving state of AI, with help from Offline AI correspondent Jon Lovett. To round it all out, Dr. Leor Zmigrod joins the show to talk about her new book, The Ideological Brain, which explores the neuroscience of ideology and why some people are more susceptible to extremist thought than others.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Ryan Broderick, host of Offlineâs most-cited newsletter âGarbage Day,â joins Jon to talk tariff turmoilâhow it will affect the TikTok deal, whether Trump has lost the faith of bro voters, and why the online right thinks a collapse of the global economy could solve Americaâs masculinity crisis. Then, is Elon Musk getting Ramaswamied? Was his nerd king persona ever more than a PR stunt? And what did we learn from Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williamsâ congressional testimonyâand will Mark Zuckerberg try to clear his name?
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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How does J.D. Vance have so much time to fight with Jon on X? Why are the courts letting Elon Musk buy votes in Wisconsin? And are we, as a society, ready forxAI to be trained on tweets from Catturd and Libs of TikTok? With Max out on vacation, Jon is joined by The Atlanticâs Charlie Warzel to process this week's online maelstromâfrom horrendous deportations to Studio Ghibliesque edge lordsâand to share what it was like for his boss to be mistakenly added to the Houthi PC Small Group chat.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
This April, enjoy 30 days of Crooked's Friends of the Pod subscriptionâFREE. Support Crookedâs mission while unlocking ad-free episodes for Offline, exclusive content, a great Discord community, & more. Sign up now at crooked.com/friends or through this feed on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial.
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They werenât war plans, they were BATTLE plansâthatâs the White House's new, extremely believable spin on why J.D. Vance, Pete Hegseth and countless other Trump officials were using a Signal chat to coordinate a military strike. Jon and Max relish the idiocy of whatâs now become the most famous group chat in the world, and then dive into Snapchatâs latest feature thatâs making teens even more glued to their screens. Then, the guys run through DoorDashâs new partnership with micro loan company Klarna, and why itâs shocking Apple allowed the Severance finale to air. Plus! Max sits down with journalist Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators and host of a spinoff podcast, to talk about why connecting with people you disagree with builds stronger coalitions, and why values unify voters better than ideas.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Meta has called an emergency arbitration hearing over a tell-all memoir by Facebook's former Director of Global Public Policy. The author, Sarah Wynn Williams, has had to cancel all her book promotionâŠincluding coming on Offline this week. Jon and Max protest Sarahâs gag order by delving into her book, Careless People, and platforming her allegations of sexual harassment, the companyâs role in Myanmar's genocide, and its supplicant relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Then, the guys discuss whether humans have passed peak brain power, and why Sam Sederâs appearance in a Jubilee video has everything Gavin Newsomâs podcast is missing.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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A new Facebook whistleblower has come forward with shocking allegationsâseems like company execs have been trying to cozy up to everyone from the Chinese Communist Party to their own employees. Max and Jon break down the drama, check in on Trump's TikTok sale, and discuss how this weekâs viral J.D. Vance memes reflect the war for dominance between Democrats and Republicans. Then, audio journalist Zack Mack joins Offline to talk about his latest project, "Alternate Realities," for NPRâs Embedded podcast. Last year, Zach made a $10,000 bet with his dad, hoping it would pull him out of a right-wing conspiracy rabbit hole. He shares how he found ways to empathize with his father, and the painful lessons he learned about persuasion.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Not too long ago, Donald Trump, Joe Rogan, and Dana WhiteâOfflineâs favorite power brokersâidentified UFC as a pathway for reshaping culture and politics around their idea of masculinity. Rolling Stone Magazineâs Jack Crosbie joins the pod to explain the parallel rise of MAGA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and break down why the sport is so appealing to young men. But first! Jon and Max run through some very Offline moments in Trump's joint congressional address, starting with the President comparing himself to victims of deepfake pornography. Then, they dive into Jon and Elonâs storied past, and what led Favs to intercede on peanut butter gateâa loss for the Focus Challenge, but a win for ending child hunger. Finally, they take a look at the economic blackout, whose slogan âdonât buy stuff" took off on social media this week.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Twenty-one DOGE staffers resigned this week, citing the agencyâs meddling in the federal government. Meanwhile, top DOGE Elon Musk was brandishing a chainsaw onstage at CPAC. And closer to home, a new armed-driver app purports to be âUber with guns.â Jon and Max sift through it all, translate Muskâs claim that, âI am become meme,â and debate whether he intends to train Grok on the private data heâs stolen. But itâs not all bad news! AI is warpspeeding disease research, and has even discovered an antibiotic that seems to be effective against drug-resistant bacteria. And LA Public schools are doing their own version of the Offline Challenge, with a new cellphone ban being rolled out in classrooms across the district.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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Special Government Employee Elon Musk has attempted to access our most personal data. Meanwhile, Billionaire Tech Mogul Elon Musk attempted to take over one of the biggest artificial intelligence companies in the world. Coincidence? In other news, Edgelord Elon Musk and his band of misfit fanboys are trying to uncover massive fraud and corruption, reading the data wrong, and making up stories that feels right to them. Jon and Max walk through it all, with stops along the way for TikTokâs triumph over app stores and the UKâs move to confiscate encrypted content. Then, the guys debrief on this weekâs Offline Focus Challenge and Max gets some words of wisdom from Dr. Gloria Mark, author of the book Attention Span.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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U.S. democracy is likely to break down during this second Trump presidency, but what lies ahead isnât a traditional dictatorship. Dr. Steven Levitsky joins Offline to explain competitive authoritarianismâwhat it looks like, how Trump and his cronies are enacting it already, and why itâs more popular than the fascism of yore. But first! Max and Jon discuss how the MAGA regime is silencing critics, including with two frivolous media lawsuits against ABC and CBS. Then they dive into rumors that Elon Musk is trying to use DOGE to replace federal workers with robots, and share updates on the ultra competitive, ultra scientific Offline Challenge.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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MSNBCâs Chris Hayes joins Offline to discuss how our societyâs commodification of attention has made us miserable while empowering authoritarians like Donald Trump. Chrisâs new book, The Sirensâ Call, explains how humans mistake online engagement for social connection, why the media is beholden to flashy headlines, and why no one can bear being alone with their thoughts. He and Jon discuss how Democrats need to operate in this frenetic environment and examine whether fascism offers a reprieve to people tired of engaging. But first! Itâs time for a new edition of the Offline Challenge. Over the next few weeks, Jon and Max will be fortifying their attention spans through a series of focus-building exercises. The goal: stay sane, grounded and committed to what matters most throughout Donald Trumpâs second term. Follow along as they put down their phones, touch grass and reclaim control of their attention.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
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