The Brian Lehrer Show

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Sen. Mark Kelly’s ‘Illegal Orders’ Warning and the Pentagon’s Response Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

Senator Mark Kelly appeared in a video alongside other veterans now serving in Congress, telling service members, “Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.” The Pentagon has since opened an investigation and even raised the possibility of recalling him to active duty for potential discipline. Zachary Cohen, senior reporter on the national security beat for CNN, talks about what Kelly said, why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the probe, and how this all fits into other Pentagon headlines this week, including reports of U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats.

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Monday Morning Politics: Trump Meddles with Latin American Presidents; Pauses Migration from "Third-World"; And More Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Susan Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of a weekly column on life in Washington, host of the Political Scene podcast, talks about the latest national political news.

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Air Travel, Then and Now Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called for a return to the way we used to fly, in terms of dress and decorum. Listeners compare air travel today to when they first flew.

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New Jersey Politics Round-Up Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Mike Hayes, WNYC/Gothamist reporter covering covering the New Jersey governor's race and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023), rounds up some of the latest political news in New Jersey, including the mayoral run-off election in Jersey City, and governor-elect Mikie Sherrill's transition.

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World AIDS Day and a Promising HIV Prevention Drug Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

On World AIDS Day, Pratik Pawar, Future Perfect fellow at Vox, talks about a new HIV prevention drug the U.S. is making available everywhere except South Africa, the country with the most people living with HIV.

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: Freakonomics; History of US Drug Use; 'Hamilton' Birthday Nov 29, 2025

Show notes

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

20 Years of Freakonomics (First) | Why Bombing 'Drug Boats' Will Do Nothing to Solve America's Fentanyl Crisis (Starts at 32) | Ten Years of Hamilton on Broadway (Starts at 59)

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Black Friday Best-Of: Jill Lepore; AJ Jacobs; Bill McKibben; A Better You Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore, professor of American History at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it so difficult, but still possible, to change.
A. J. Jacobs, host of the "Hello Puzzlers" podcast, essayist, and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), reports back on how AI is already woven into daily life with another take on being a "human guinea pig," going 48 hours without using AI.
Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.
Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person.

These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:

Jill Lepore on the American Constitution (Sep 16, 2025)

A.J. Jacobs Tries Life Without AI (Nov 3, 2025)

A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change (Sep 25, 2025)

Can We Change Our Personalities? (Mar 12, 2025)

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Thanksgiving Best Of: Revolution; Indigenous History; Military Clothing; 100 Years of Thanksgiving Celebrations; Family Words Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

On this Thanksgiving, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations:

Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker, and co-director Sarah Botstein talk about their new, 12-part docuseries on PBS called "The American Revolution," which is being released just ahead of next year's 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Julian Brave NoiseCat, writer, filmmaker and student of Salish art and history and the author of We Survived the Night (Knopf, 2025), talks about his new book, the story of North American indigenous people through his reporting and his own story, all in the style of a traditional "coyote story."
Avery Trufelman, host of the podcast "Articles of Interest," talks about the new season of her podcast, where she explores the link between the U.S. military and the clothes we all wear, like t-shirts, hoodies and other exercise gear.
As part of our WNYC centennial series, Kenneth C. Davis, author of the "Don't Know Much About History" series and most recently, The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction (Scribner, 2024), reviews the history of the American Thanksgiving holiday and how it has changed over the past 100 years.
A Washington Post article explained how most families have a secret language that only they understand, or a "familect" as some lingusts call it. Listeners share the words in their family that only they use, which are often conjured in the minds of small children and then used for years down the road.

These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:

Ken Burns on The American Revolution (Oct 31, 2025)

Indigenous Peoples' Story (Oct 13, 2025)

The Military's Influence on What We Wear (Oct 21, 2025)

100 Years of 100 Things: How We Think About Thanksgiving (Nov 27, 2024)

Your Family's 'Secret Language' (Sep 15, 2025 and Oct 6, 2025)

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20 Years of Freakonomics Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and the co-author of Freakonomics (Harper Collins, 2025), now in a new 20th anniversary edition, reflects on 20 years of "Freakonomics," its impact and use of data, and talks about what's next.

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City Politics: Mamdani's Transition Plans Continue Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from Mayor-elect Mamdani's transition plans.

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