The Press Box

Latest Episodes:

25 for 25 Industry in Memoriam: Remembering the Publications Lost in the 21st Century Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel are back with the second edition of The Press Box's 25 for 25. Today, they look back at the publications lost in the 21st century—including ESPN the Magazine, Gawker, and many others—and ask: What do we lose when a media company disappears? And how should we remember them, if at all?

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel D. Anderson

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Additional Production: Conor Nevins

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Van Lathan on What Makes a Good Political Pundit, How TMZ Shaped Him and His Career, and a Very Special Request for Hillary Clinton and His Mom. Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! While Bryan is on vacation, Joel is in the driver’s seat and he welcomes in The Ringer’s own, Van Lathan (3:10). They kick off the show by discussing their paths to today’s episode then talk about the following:

How Van prepares for his CNN appearances (6:56)
Stephen A. Smith as a presidential candidate (17:52)
Who will be the face of the NBA (32:23)?
NIL ruining college sports (44:19)
Van’s time at TMZ and what he learned (51:23)
Life after confronting Kanye West (1:03:29)

Host: Joel Anderson

Guest: Van Lathan

Producers: Brian H. Waters and Jonathan Kermah

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Graydon Carter on ‘Vanity Fair,’ ‘Spy,’ and the Glorious Excess of the Magazine Era Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

Bryan kicks off the week with a conversation with Graydon Carter, who comes on to discuss ‘Spy Magazine’ going to ‘Vanity Fair’ and more. They discuss the following:

The idea behind 'Spy Magazine' (2:46)
Who took the stories the hardest from 'Spy' (9:57)
His perception of Donald Trump (10:36)
If Spy could have worked in the early 2000s (13:20)
Being offered a choice between 'Vanity Fair' and 'The New Yorker' (14:19)
How writers were treated like stars (23:26)
How 'Vanity Fair' was able to land the”deep throat” story, the source behind the Watergate scandal (29:10)
Creating the Vanity Fair Oscar Party (38:00)
Why he left 'Vanity Fair' in 2017 (40:50)
What we lost from the magazine era (43:33)

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Graydon Carter

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Contentious White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, Jackie Robinson and the Defense Department, and a Buyout Bloodbath in Chicago Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel fire up the mics to close out the week here at 'The Press Box.' Joel takes you to J-School, where he discusses whether or not there is a diet for Kanye West content, Collin Morikawa’s comments on mainstream coverage, and getting off the Feinstein train. Joel closes the segment with a brief tribute to his uncle Doug (1:45).

Then they get into the following headlines:

The Trump administration's replacements for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner (26:12)
The removal of Jackie Robinson’s story from the Department of Defense’s website (36:08)
Is March Madness losing its luster? (46:39)
The Chicago Sun-Times buyout (1:02:30)

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel D. Anderson

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Feinstein and March Madness, News From The New Yorker, and Gutting the Voice of America Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the week by discussing Donald Trump’s dismantlement of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the Voice of America (0:45). Then they get into the Old Guy’s Still Got It Segment with sounds from Rick Pitino (8:40), Tom Izzo (10:30), and Dick Vitale (14:20). Afterward they discuss Michael Wilbon’s tribute to John Feinstein (16:20). Later in the Notebook Dump they discuss the changes happening at The New Yorker (38:42).

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producers: Jessie Lopez and Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Horrors of NFL Free Agency, Michelle Obama and Gavin Newsom Pivot to Podcasts, and Remembering John Feinstein Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Hello media consumers! "Bryan and Joel kick off the show with J-School during which they discuss Monday’s topics, including Stephen A. Smith vs. Tim Walz for the 2028 democratic nominee, sources calling after a Kendrick Perkins story, and more (1:24)

They then get into the following headlines:

Reflecting on John Feinstein’s legacy including his book, ‘A Season on the Brink’ (16:36)
NFL free agency week in America (24:55)
Michelle Obama and Gavin Newsom launching podcasts (43:38)
Three pieces of audio that may make you smile, laugh, or furrow your brow (57:10)

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Four NBA Media Meltdowns, Oscar Season for Democrats, and a Great Editor’s ‘Only in Journalism’ Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Tim Walz is making the media rounds, leading The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker to ask whether the Minnesota governor or Stephen A. Smith is more likely to run for president in 2028 (00:00). Then, the guys get into a series of media meltdowns, including the ongoing beef between Stephen A. and LeBron James (13:00), Charles Barkley vs. Kendrick Perkins (26:12), Draymond Green’s shameless self-promotion (35:08), Mark Cuban’s thoughts on the Luka Doncic trade (40:57), and more.

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Troy Farkas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Curious Case of Shedeur Sanders, the L.A. Times’ Broken Bias Meter, and Farewell to ‘Around the Horn’ Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel return to discuss the State of the Union address (2:04). Then, they break down the press surrounding NFL draft prospect Shedeur Sanders and the Bias Meter (21:40). They close by remembering 'Around The Horn' and FiveThirtyEight (56:43).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

Producer: Stefan Anderson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conan and the Oscars, Trump and Zelensky, and More WaPo-Bezos Fallout Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off recapping the Oscars, including Conan O’Brien’s performance as host (0:34).

Then they discuss the following stories from Washington:

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meeting in the Oval Office (18:39)
Finally having the Jefferey Epstein files (33:20)
The Washington Post losing over 75,000 subscribers (41:23)

Then in the ‘Notebook Dump’, they discuss Jimmy Johnson’s retirement from television (52:37) and former Biden officials' explanation of the 2024 election (58:09).

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeff Bezos Vs. The Washington Post, When NFL Insiders Attack, and the Remaking of MSNBC Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel fire up the mics to close out the week here at 'The Press Box.' Joel takes you to “J-school,” where he talks to Bryan about his media diet, Stephen A. Smith's presidential bid, and his return to D.C. (1:22).

Then they get into the following headlines:

Jeff Bezos’s extreme opinion section makeover (19:24)
When NFL insiders attack: the battle between Ian Rapoport and Jordan Schultz (47:14)
A new book on Joe Biden (53:55)
Joy Reid out and the remaking of MSNBC (57:16)
Curt Menefee interviews New York Mayor Eric Adams (1:00:42)

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

Producer: Brian H. Waters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected