Middlebrow

Moss Perricone, writer for Saturday Night Live, knows how to craft a good joke. We dive into open mic Stockholm Syndrome, how being too stylish can signal fiscal irresponsibility, onboarding at SNL, pitch superstitions and the 50th anniversary special.

Wyna Liu, NYT puzzle editor and writer of the popular Connections game, crafts puzzles that provoke both anguish and joy. We dive into her personal morning game rituals, puzzle cruises, NYT games lab, the mechanics behind a good board and the beauty of applying constraints to our own lives.

Dan and Brian discuss high fashion podcast collabs, The Razzie Awards, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Koch brothers, architecture salaries, posthumous recognition, Tony Tulathimutte's Rejection and dumb phones.

Dan and Brian discuss return to office productivity, the false promise of invisalign, country cottage cosmetic industries, New York uber ratings, New Yorker humor pieces, LA art fairs, Tim Cook swag, Timothee Chalamet's earnest acceptance speech and Delmonico's.

Dan and Brian discuss the spirit of LA being alive and well, chasing winter, mumblecore films, traveling through SFO, Hollywood accounting, flight risks, jury duty on a shoplifting trial, RFK Jr and the SNL 50th anniversary.

Jeremiah Stone, chef and co-owner of Wildair and Bar Contra, has shaped New York's downtown dining culture. We dive into breakfast routines, the underappreciated art of dessert, insider tips for restaurant bookings, critics, Noma's true influence in fine dining, Kitchen Confidential 2.0, and the pressures of staff meal.

Dan and Brian discuss the fall of TED and pop psychology, dressing up for standup audiences, Sundance film inspo, jury duty avoidance tactics, Madonna at the Comedy Cellar, Ramell Ross's Nickel Boys, Randall's Island, new right wing influencers and DeepSeek.

Alex Hartman, creator of the viral meme account 'Nolita Dirtbag,' chronicles the absurdities of the 'coastal elite'. We dive into Bryan Johnson's quest for immortality, buying things from social media ads, the future of office spaces, sneaky musicals, memes as art, and the enduring mystique of Chet Hanks.

Dan and Brian discuss David Lynch, actually reading Playboy for the articles, Jamie xx UK bangers, buzzy downtown restaurant Bridges, NYPD tow pounds, movie laughs and Zuck's masculinity crusade.

Avery Trufelman, podcaster and host of 'Articles of Interest,' unpacks how we express ourselves through what we wear. We dive into the rise and fall of millennial excellence, Wikipedia editor tryouts, a case study for anonymous bullying, our personal style journeys and her upcoming literary debut.