The Daily Beast Podcast

Michael Ian Black celebrates July 4th with Joanna Coles and explains his reluctant transformation into what he jokingly calls “a conservative”—thanks to Donald Trump. The comedian and Daily Beast columnist describes how defending the IRS, foreign aid, and the post office over dinner with a Trump voter made him feel like he’d become “the man.” But it's not age that’s made him more conservative—it’s Trump’s destruction of public service, empathy, and the common good. Black traces his unlikely journey from straight-edge punk rocker to champion of bureaucracy, arguing that helping people shouldn’t be a radical act. He calls Trump “the worst thing for comedy” and slams the administration’s cruelty as both unfunny and un-American. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to dissect the explosive feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump—two billionaires with their own media platforms and no off switch. Wolff recounts how Musk, cast out by Trump, has resurfaced with threats to bankroll a third party and destabilize GOP control. Trump, ever theatrical, responds by smearing Musk as a drug-addled foreigner, even suggesting deportation. But beneath the chaos lies a real threat: Musk’s billions could tip the Senate and House, risking everything for Trump. Wolff warns this isn’t just noise—it’s a blood feud. And in Trump’s world, dominance matters more than governance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Della Volpe joins Joanna Coles to unpack why young voters—especially anxious, economically insecure young men—helped put Trump in office. Drawing on Harvard polling and his SAM Project, Della Volpe explains how Trump’s internet swagger and outsider energy appealed to a generation feeling betrayed by institutions. But the mood is shifting. Young voters are turning on Trump, frustrated by chaos and instability. Della Volpe warns Democrats: stop lecturing, start listening. He points to Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win as proof that authenticity, optimism, and showing up matter more than ideology. To win Gen Z, Democrats need less tightly scripted cable TV appearances—and more courage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Plank joins Joanna Coles for a scorching postmortem on the Venice wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez—a $50 million display of “confetti capitalism” that collided head-on with a collapsing middle class. Plank, whose viral Substack column captured the online fury, recounts watching the foam-drenched bacchanal while her paper straw dissolved in her mouth and seniors were zip-tied at the Capitol protesting Medicaid cuts. She argues the grotesque contrast isn’t just offensive—it’s politically clarifying. As celebrities scrambled for camera time and Vogue’s fawning coverage backfired, Plank points to a growing revolt: from Zohran’s shock primary win in New York to Hungary’s defiant pride march. She connects the dots from Bezos’s billionaire cosplay to the Democratic Party’s disconnect with working people—and calls for all to use their voice, both online and off, to advocate for real political change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Tyler Cohen joins Joanna Coles for a dissection of the digital age’s political battleground. Cohen—solo creator of one of the largest progressive platforms in America—reveals how he turned a dead-end acting career into a media empire with 4.5 million subscribers and zero writers. Cohen explains that Trump’s chaos isn’t incompetence—it’s a strategy: flooding the zone, exploiting the slow reflexes of legacy media, and redefining the presidency as a form of cultural warfare. He blasts the Democratic Party’s gerontocracy, their obsession with MSNBC over TikTok, and their chronic failure to meet the moment. As Trump installs loyalists like Pete Hegseth and Dan Bongino into key roles, Cohen warns the real danger isn’t just Trump—it’s the bootlickers willing to weaponize law enforcement on command. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles’s to unpack the latest twist in Trump’s Iran debacle—a truth bomb dropped by U.S. intelligence. Wolff, Trump biographer and author of 'All Or Nothing' explains how Trump, obsessed with showbiz and "bragging rights," staged a “perfect war” for TV that is now unraveling in real time. The leaked intelligence contradicts Trump’s declaration of a triumphant mission, showing Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain largely intact—sending the West Wing into a tailspin of blame and recrimination. Susie Wiles launches a frantic leak hunt. Tulsi Gabbard is thrown under the bus. Pete Hegseth scrambles to avoid Trump’s wrath, which Wolff describes as “frightening,” and akin to being “treated like dogs.” Wolff uncovers Trump’s sugary mood swings to his government-by-whim—“a reality TV presidency with nuclear stakes.” Coles and Wolff reflect on how the U.S. went from a system of institutions to one man’s ego show, powered by candy, rage, and a desperate fear of losing the narrative. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles and Michael Wolff are back with a newsflash pod after President Trump dropped an unprecedented F-bomb on the White House lawn. Wolff—the author of 'All or Nothing'—joins Coles to unpack the deeper meaning behind Trump's outburst about Israel and Iran: "They don't know what the f*** they're doing." Wolff reveals how the comment wasn't a gaffe but the latest act in Trump's attempt to script what he calls "the perfect war"—a PR-driven spectacle shaped entirely by headline management, emotional whim, and circular phone calls. Coles and Wolff dissect how Trump has taken personal ownership of a war he likely doesn't intend to finish. With Trump's unkept performance—tie off, hair unruly, language raw it's a revealing look at a president desperate to direct a global conflict like a reality show finale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Obama chief of staff and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel joins Joanna Coles to unpack the stunning news that Donald Trump bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities—against the judgment of his own intelligence agencies. Emanuel, whose two sons serve in the U.S. Navy, lays out a sobering, real-world framework for how a president should handle such a volatile decision, and why Trump’s impulsive, “instinct-driven” approach endangers global stability. He warns that Tulsi Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth represent a dangerous, unserious national security apparatus—and says plainly that the current commander-in-chief lacks the discipline, curiosity, or character for the job. Emanuel, who's also a CNN contributor, opens up about sleepless nights, military service, and his own possible 2028 run for president—and what it would take to make the American Dream affordable again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump biographer Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to pull back the curtain on a White House in disarray. The author reveals how the president’s impromptu, last-minute decision-making around Iran—epitomized by a series of frantic Friday phone calls and a dismissive “fuck Tucker”—turned what insiders claimed was a long-planned operation into a mad scramble. Wolff explains that while official narratives try to dress up the moment as a flawless, strategic maneuver, in reality the president dithered until the very end, leaving everyone guessing and scrambling for their next move. Coles and Wolff dissect the chaos behind the rhetoric—how rival factions from the MAGA base to neocon advisors vied for his attention—and expose a leader who shifts his course with every call, embodying a breathtaking blend of uncertainty and dangerous improvisation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump biographer Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to pull back the curtain on a White House in disarray. The author reveals how the president’s impromptu, last-minute decision-making around Iran—epitomized by a series of frantic Friday phone calls and a dismissive “fuck Tucker”—turned what insiders claimed was a long-planned operation into a mad scramble. Wolff explains that while official narratives try to dress up the moment as a flawless, strategic maneuver, in reality the president dithered until the very end, leaving everyone guessing and scrambling for their next move. Coles and Wolff dissect the chaos behind the rhetoric—how rival factions from the MAGA base to neocon advisors vied for his attention—and expose a leader who shifts his course with every call, embodying a breathtaking blend of uncertainty and dangerous improvisation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Evan Osnos joins Joanna Coles to parse the twisted games the world's wealthiest play with and aboard their crazy expensive yachts. As tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg snap up megayachts, Osnos, author of 'The Haves and Have-Yachts,' unpacks what these floating palaces reveal about a seismic shift in American wealth and power. He explains why Donald Trump shut down the KleptoCapture task force, how oligarch envy shapes Trump's worldview, and what it means that he once owned a Saudi arms dealer's yacht—but hated being on it. From Adnan Khashoggi to Elon Musk, Osnos traces the rise of ostentatious wealth, the decline of discretion, and why the modern billionaire isn't satisfied with private jets—they also want political control. Plus, how Musk crossed a line even Andrew Carnegie didn't, and why Americans may finally be waking up to a new, gilded threat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Carville joins Joanna Coles for a bracing tour through the foreign policy civil war inside MAGA—and why it could tear the coalition. As Israel and Iran square off, so do Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, and Tulsi Gabbard versus Trump, Pete Hegseth, and Mark Levin. Carville breaks down the long-simmering ideological rift now boiling over, and why Trump’s strategic confusion—especially in the Middle East—is dangerous not just for Republicans, but for global stability. He explains why Trump “couldn’t find Iran on a globe,” how Tucker’s pro-Russia leanings go back decades, and why Americans aren't nearly scared enough about what’s coming. Plus: what Carville says is the real cost of Republican loyalty to Trump, and how Democrats can seize this moment—if they’re smart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump biographer Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to discuss how the president's $45 million attempt at creating a "menacing" military parade backfired into a yawning, low-budget cosplay. The author of 'All or Nothing' reveals the real reason Trump was furious at the troops, what Pete Hegseth got wrong, and why the U.S. military has moved on while Trump is still stuck in 1965. Coles and Wolff explore how Israel's strike on Iran played out while Trump sat bored on a D.C. bleacher—and why the war made him look weak, used, and irrelevant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Daily Beast’s David Rothkopf joins Joanna Coles to unpack the chaos behind Israel’s strike on Iran—and the confusion inside the the Trump administration's response. From Marco Rubio claiming America had nothing to do with Israel's attack, to Trump scrambling to take credit, Rothkopf lays out why nobody seems to know who approved what, or when. He explains why Trump’s “deal guy” approach to foreign policy has failed everywhere from Gaza to Ukraine, and why Trump’s inner circle of golf buddies and yes-men leaves America weaker and more isolated than ever. Rothkopf calls Trump “the most impotent president in living memory”—and warns that our enemies are laughing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles unpacks global chaos colliding with American absurdity: a California senator thrown to the ground, Israel striking Iran, and the man in charge of U.S. diplomacy? Trump’s golf buddy Steve Witkoff. Who else to make sense of this than Michael Wolff, the chronicler of Trump’s chaos. Wolff dives into Trump’s racist tirade after the arrest of Senator Padilla, and how Gavin Newsom accidentally became the face of Democratic leadership—thanks to Trump himself. Plus, Wolff paints a jaw-dropping picture of Trump’s “phone monologues,” Witkoff’s terrifying Middle East power grab, and why American politics now runs on height, hair, and real estate credentials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles is joined by Russian and American Journalist M. Gessen, whose reporting from both Putin’s Russia and Trump’s America has made them a singular voice on creeping autocracy. Gessen explains why Americans' faith in endless progress is misplaced—and how Trump, like Putin before him, overwhelms the system by attacking everything, everywhere, all at once: courts, media, universities, even law firms. They argue that the biggest danger isn’t sudden collapse, but slow adaptation—that Americans are already getting used to living in a crumbling democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

California governor Gavin Newsom tells Joanna Coles how he is going head-to-head with Donald Trump and Stephen Miller's cruelty and chaos—and why the country has never faced such a crisis before. He goes scorched earth on the "carny bulls**t artist" president and say what he thinks about being nicknamed "Gavin Newscum." Newsom has harsh words for Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, warning their loyalty to Trump's authoritarianism shows how weak they are. And he spells out what is next in his fight against Trump and why he doesn't regret hosting MAGA stars like Steve Bannon on his podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles is joined by Anthony Scaramucci, the infamously short-lived Trump first term White House communications director and longtime Trump confidant-turned-critic. The Mooch brings a blisteringly informed look into what happens to those, like Elon Musk, who get too close to Donald Trump—and why Musk is the latest casualty. Scaramucci explains why Ro Khanna is the only Democrat with the foresight to try and win Musk back, how Potomac fever has infected Silicon Valley, and why Trump's orbit inevitably burns anyone drawn into it. He reveals how Trump really fired him and why Howard Lutnick may be the next domino to fall. Plus, Scaramucci argues that a Musk-backed centrist third party won't be able to win the presidency—it could break the political duopoly for good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles returns to dissect the latest turn in the Trump–Elon Musk war—and who better to decode the thoughts in Donald Trump's head than Michael Wolff, Trump's biographer. Wolff explains how the feud puts JD Vance's future in question because Vance's "only hardcore support" is from within the tech community. Wolff reminds us that Trump's Epstein connection still hangs over Trump like a sword Damocles. And Wolff shares that within the White House, people are saying "Thank God for LA" and the mass protests against ICE agents, which have stolen the American people's attention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna Coles welcomes Scott Galloway—the irreverent marketing professor, tech provocateur, and self-declared “really f***ing rich” man—to understand into the dark ballet between DonaldTrump and Elon Musk. Galloway calls Musk to a “rabid addict with a checkbook,” and unpacks how Tesla’s collapsing brand is a case study in boardroom paralysis, loyalty bought with billions, and a CEO in free fall. He then turns his fire on Brand America, the Democrats’ allergy to confrontation, and why the resistance feels like a “rebel force without Luke Skywalker.” It’s a high-octane, unfiltered diagnosis of power, cowardice, and the price of silence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.