The Press Box

Latest Episodes:

An NBA TV Mega-Preview, Good News About The Washington Post, and Your Favorite NFL Clichés Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

An NBA TV Mega-Preview, Good News About The Washington Post, and Your Favorite NFL Clichés

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David are back to discuss the worst response issued by the White House to a reporter's question, some good news about The Washington Post, and issues at Indiana University’s student newspaper (00:35). The two then dig into their NBA mega-preview! They talk about the return of ‘NBA on NBC Sports,’ including Mike Tirico's return to calling NBA games and the network's new broadcast format, "On the Bench," (20:00). They also get into why it’s exciting that Dirk Nowitzki is making his debut as an analyst with Amazon and that Ian Eagle finally became a no. 1 play-by-play announcer (25:34). To wrap the preview, Bryan and David wonder how ‘Inside the NBA’ will translate to ESPN and whether the network can finally develop a no. 1 announce team (31:44). They then dig into the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week before diving into some favorite NFL clichés (35:45). The two close with David's guess for this week’s Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Kyle Williams

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Zohran Mamdani Goes on Fox News, the Great Pentagon Walkout, and Awkward NFL Coach Audio Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel discuss the almost entirely unanimous media walkout at the Pentagon after new rules and guidelines were presented to reporters (0:48); Olivia Nuzzi's return, which will now include a book deal (19:52); and Zohran Mamdani's interview with Fox News' Martha MacCallum (26:22). Then they discuss some awkward NFL head coach audio (0:00), before beginning a list of football clichés (40:00) and closing the show with J-School (52:03).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Producer: Kyle Crichton

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Bari Weiss’s Memo, Marc Maron’s Goodbye, and College Football’s Most Interesting Coach Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David are back to discuss Bari Weiss’s memo to her new employees and whether it is threatening. Then they talk about Marc Maron’s farewell podcast with Barack Obama. The two discuss Obama’s social media reluctance and why he isn’t he speaking out more (00:21). They also play the football audio of the week: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti as a Dan Jenkins character, Kurt Warner’s disbelief about the Broncos-Jets game, Adam Amin’s indulgence in Only in Journalism, and Tua Tagovailoa throwing his team under the bus (18:00). Next, they get into the worst questions asked at the White House, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and the latest edition of They’re Running: JB Pritzker edition (36:48). To wrap, they get into the latest on Pentagon press access, a Media Piss Test, and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline (44:53).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Kyle Williams

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Jen Psaki on the Democrats and the Future of MSNBC. Plus, Paul Finebaum vs. ESPN and the End of LeBron’s Media Headlock Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel cover LeBron’s “big” news, Paul Finebaum a week after his OutKick interview, yet another Bill Belichick story out of UNC, and a bizarre Katie Porter interview (0:45). Then Joel and Bryan talk with MSNBC's Jen Psaki about the Democratic Party, how politicians can effectively communicate their message, modernizing White House press briefings, the future of cable news, and more (44:18). Finally they close the show with some J-School (1:15:16).
Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Guest: Jen Psaki
Producers: Kyle Crichton and Brian Waters

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Bari Weiss’s First Day at CBS, Reporting on Mark Sanchez, and the GOAT-dom of Chris Berman Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David are back to discuss America’s Softest Target, why they’re sitting out of Taylor Swift discourse, and Bari Weis’ first day as editor in chief of CBS News. They get into the particulars of who Weiss is reporting to, what will her version of CBS News look like, and what it means that just 28% of Americans have a fair amount of trust in newspapers, television and radio. Then they get into the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and the reporting around Mark Sanchez’s arrest this weekend, They also share some football audio from this weekend, including Eric Collins’ first football game, and Greg Olson using an “only in journalism” phrase.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Kyle Williams

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The Ezra Klein and Ta-Nehisi Coates Showdown, Floating Paul Finebaum for Senate, and the Meaning of Kamala’s Book Sales Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel take a deep dive into the spirited discussion between Ezra Klein and Ta-Nehisi Coates centered on their disagreements about Charlie Kirk and some of his eulogists (1:27). Then they discuss the unexpected news that ESPN's Paul Finebaum is considering running as a Republican senator for Alabama, the numbers for Kamala Harris's book, WaPo's new opinion section, and more (33:21).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Producer: Kyle Crichton

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A 25 for 25 Double Feature: Dean Jelani Cobb on the Future of J-School. Plus, Spencer Hall on “Weird Internet.” Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel preview today’s double-feature episode (0:45), before Joel is joined by Columbia Journalism School dean Jelani Cobb to discuss the future of journalism education (7:44). Then, Bryan and Joel have a quick interview postgame (47:42) before introducing Joel’s conversation with writer Spencer Hall on how his remarkable career has intersected with the “weird internet” (59:07).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Guests: Jelani Cobb and Spencer Hall
Producer: Kyle Crichton

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A Report From the Cowboys-Packers Tie, the Rise of the Bernie Bio, and Barbecue Notes From Texas Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David are back to discuss Bryan’s quick trip to Dallas for the Micah Parsons return game. He lets you in on the dirty secret of football reporting, gets into the differences between the Micah trade and the Luka Doncic trade, and gives some barbecue reviews (00:24). Then they share some football audio from the weekend, including Gus Johnson’s call of an Illinois running back fumbling just as he was about to reach the end zone and a sideline interview gone wrong with Bears coach Ben Johnson (11:10). The two also get into the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, Bernie Sanders entering biography status, and Leonardo DiCaprio going viral over what his manager wanted his name changed to (33:05).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker
Producer: Kyle Williams

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Jimmy Kimmel’s Return, the Fox-Barstool College Football Experiment, and Kamala’s Book Tour. Plus: Noah Eagle. Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel discuss the return of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Tuesday night (0:46) before reexamining the Fox-Barstool college football experiment and Kamala Harris's book tour (25:50). Finally, they are joined by NBC's Noah Eagle to discuss the highly anticipated Oregon–Penn State matchup this Saturday, capturing wacky finishes in the broadcast booth, his play-by-play strategy as the game of football evolves, and broadcasters in suits vs. quarter zips (49:30). Then Joel conducts a hard-hitting Lightning Round (1:08:20).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

Guest: Noah Eagle

Producer: Kyle Crichton

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Fear After the Jimmy Kimmel Suspension, the Return of Olivia Nuzzi, and Presidential Campaign of Andy Beshear Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David discuss Vanity Fair hiring Olivia Nuzzi after she parted ways with New York magazine last year, continue untangling the Jimmy Kimmel situation, discuss the new rules for covering the Pentagon, and more (00:26). Then they share some football audio from the weekend, including Joe Davis’s call of Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis’s touchdown, Gus Johnson’s ultra-specific statistic during the Auburn-Oklahoma game, and Tulsa coach Tre Lamb's comments after his team dismantled Oklahoma State (31:27). In the notebook, the two discuss Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's Presidential campaign (40:59).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker
Producer: Kyle Williams

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