Check out a preview of the latest episode of Are You Mad at Me?, the podcast about the movie Shattered Glass hosted by PubliCola co-founders Erica Barnett and Josh Feit. Shattered Glass, starting Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, and Steve Zahn (among many other names you'll recognize), is about a journalism scandal in the late 1990s in which a reporter, Stephen Glass, was found to have fabricated dozens of stories for The New Republic, Harpers, and many other traditional media outlets. 

Our guest for this month's show, Adam Penenberg (portrayed by Zahn in the film), was working for an early online outlet called Forbes Digital Tool when his editor, Kambiz Foroohar, demanded to know why he'd been scooped by Stephen Glass on a story about teenage hackers. 

As we now know, the story was completely fabricated—and Penenberg was the one who unraveled the fraud. In our interview, Penenberg tells us what it was like to uncover the story and reflects on what it was like to be a reporter for a digital startup going up against a venerable institution like The New Republic. He also offers his thoughts on why Glass decided to fabricate stories instead of just reporting them, and tells us what it was like talking to Steve Zahn as he was developing his character for the movie.

Listen, like, and subscribe to Are You Mad at Me? on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Sandeep says Dow Constantine will be the next CEO of Sound Transit. Is Dow the best pick? Was the process a flawed example of cronyism? And why is the transit agency's CEO pay so high? 

We also discuss progressive activist Katie Wilson entering the Seattle mayor's race against Bruce Harrell. Does she have a shot against Harrell's record and "One Seattle" leadership style? Don't miss our in-depth interview with Katie Wilson where she self-criticized the left on the politics of homelessness in recent years. 

Plus, former assistant US Attorney Erika Evans is running against Republican City Attorney Ann Davison. Will Davison survive the challenge?    

Also, is council candidate Tanya Woo finally calling it quits?   

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

About Seattle Nice 

It’s getting harder and harder to talk about politics, especially if you disagree. Well, screw that. Seattle Nice aims to be the most opinionated and smartest analysis of what’s really happening in Seattle politics available in any medium.

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The latest explosive headline about Bruce Harrell's 1996 arrest isn't great news for a mayor who is up for re-election later this year. We discuss the fallout and the fact that a mystery challenger is expected to join that race next week.

Speaking of politics, we also discuss Erica's interview with Dionne Foster, who is challenging City Council President Sara Nelson. Foster is challenging Nelson from the left, but some of her positions don’t sound that progressive. Is that smart politics?  

Also, Republican City Attorney Ann Davison is standing up to the Trump Administration. We debate the merits of that move.   

Finally,  the U.S. Small Business Administration is closing its Seattle office to “support President Trump’s agenda to secure our borders.” The move implicitly punishes Seattle for calling itself a "sanctuary city." What will it mean for small businesses, and what will the Trump Administration do coming next?    

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

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What do you call it when Mayor Bruce Harrell raises eyebrows with alleged praise for Trump advisors, a totem pole stands in the way of a park opening, and a tree divides a neighborhood? Just another week in Seattle! 
 
In this episode, we dive into Mayor Harrell's comments at a downtown business event, where he appeared to praise tech advisors to Donald J. Trump like Elon Musk. Was it an off-script gaffe, a calculated appeal to the business community, simply a fact about tech innovation leaders, or something else entirely? We discuss the comments, the context and what it might mean for Seattle politics.

Then, we explore the battle between historic preservationists and the city over totem poles that has kept the newly renovated Victor Steinbrueck Park shuttered. What should happen to the contested poles? It's a classic Seattle story of process, history, identity, and bureaucracy.

Finally, we look at the heated debate over "Grandma Brooks' Cedar" in Ravenna. When is it right to save a tree, and when is it time to let go? We debate the story of conflict between neighbors, activists, and the family of the woman who lived alongside the tree for decades.  

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

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Joy Hollingsworth was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2023 to replace Kshama Sawant in District 3. Her victory was part of a centrist wave. But Hollingsworth sometimes finds herself on the more progressive side of council legislation. Does she see herself as a swing vote? She also gets candid with us about Seattle’s racial politics, and how some white progressives seem more interested in speaking for Black people rather than listening to them.

Our editor is Quinn Waller.  

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Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at [email protected]

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In this members-only episode we take a closer look at the style, the substance and the politics of Tuesday's State of the City Address by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.

This episode is a free preview. To hear the full episode just sign up at any level that's right for you at patreon.com/seattlenice.  

If you are already a member, here's how to access your member-only episodes automatically: https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041347732-How-to-use-your-audio-RSS

Thanks everyone for your support for this podcast.  

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

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Nearly 6 in 10 Seattle voters said yes to Proposition 1A to fund social housing after the first ballot count. It's shaping up like a big win for the more progressive side in Seattle politics. 

Why did voters move left this time? Is Seattle's pendulum swinging in a more progressive direction as we head into a big local election year? Is there really a pendulum?  

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Two longtime political journalists, Erica C. Barnett and Josh Feit, explore all the reasons that the 2003 film Shattered Glass, about the rise and downfall of former New Republic journalist Stephen Glass, is the greatest journalism movie—nay, greatest movie—of all time. 

In the inaugural episode, we dissect some of our favorite scenes from Shattered Glass, and tell you why you should watch this iconic movie.

Quotes: "Is anyone interested in hackers?"

"The building's closed on Sundays."

"He fed us fiction after fiction, and we printed them all as fact. Just because we found him... entertaining."

Hosts: Josh Feit and Erica C. Barnett

Edited by: Erica C. Barnett

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HEARTH Protection: Do not let fear make your world smaller. 

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at [email protected]

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SODA Seattle's new drug "stay out zones" are barely being unforced. Erica said this was the predictable result of bad, "performative" policy by council. Sandeep defended the policy but said more enforcement is needed, echoing this comment by City Council President Sara Nelson. She called on Mayor Harrell and other leaders to do more. Will "One Seattle" be put to the test this election year?  

SoDo Sandeep and Erica were both on Sara Nelson's side about a controversial proposal to add housing in SODO. David felt obligated to challenge their symbolic capitalist ideology and lack of skepticism about growth. 

SOAP Finally, Erica questioned city policy targeting "Johns" on Aurora Avenue, while Sandeep offered a qualified defense.  

Our editor is Quinn Waller. 

Interested in going to Rome? Visit www.thebittersweetlife.net or email [email protected]

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Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at [email protected]

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Our special guest this week is new Seattle City Council appointee Mark Solomon, who has vowed to serve as a "caretaker" for the District 2 position previously held by Tammy Morales, who resigned last year because of what she called bullying and gaslighting by her newly elected council colleagues. 

Solomon lost to Morales in 2019 and sought the citywide council seat that ultimately went to the person Morales defeated in 2023, Tanya Woo, making him the second person voters rejected in favor of Morales to be appointed by the current council.

We talked about that, as well as issues ranging from the use of blast balls for crowd control (he supports it) to whether he'll vote to decrease neighborhood density in the comprehensive plan (he's ambivalent), to the concept of crime prevention through environmental design (he teaches classes on it and thinks it can help address problem areas like 12th and Jackson). 

Our editor is Quinn Waller.

Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails [email protected]

HEARTH Protection: Do not let fear make your world smaller. 

Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at [email protected]

Support the show

Your support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.