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The Moynihan Report

Osprey Studios

Michael Moynihan sits down with the people shaping culture, media, and public life to dive into the personal, the political, and the petty. Every Thursday, expect confessions, historical nitpicks, verbal blood feuds, and the deepest of deep cuts.

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#89
Wednesday · 58 min
Carlos the Jackal and the Birth of Modern Terrorism
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joby Warrick joins Michael Moynihan to tell the story of Carlos the Jackal, the Venezuelan Marxist who became the world’s most notorious terrorist. They discuss his rise through the Palestinian militant movement, his ties to the Soviet bloc, and the governments that allowed him to operate across Europe and the Middle East for decades. Warrick also recounts meeting an unrepentant Carlos in a French prison and explains how his brand of international terrorism anticipated Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the decentralized political violence of today. We're nominated for Signal Awards! Vote for The Moynihan Report for: Best video podcast: https://bit.ly/4jxj2wY Best guest (William Shatner): https://bit.ly/4AG4zoz Best episode: https://bit.ly/4dxq7tZ Also: The Fifth Column is in the running for Best News & Politics show: https://bit.ly/3U0K8ST CHAPTERS (0:00) Cold Open (0:20) Intro (1:44) Becoming Carlos the Jackal (5:10) Terrorism, Marxism and Antisemitism (8:34) The Paris Grenade Attack (11:35) Why Europe Paid Off Terrorists (15:42) The Soviet Terror Network (22:49) Terrorism and the Palestinian Cause (28:20) Meeting Carlos in Prison (35:55) Carlos and the Nazis (39:02) From Marxism to Radical Islam (41:58) The CIA Informant Who Betrayed Carlos (44:45) How Dictators Protected the Jackal (47:02) The Legacy of 1970s Terrorism (49:21) What Happened to Al-Qaeda and ISIS? (52:45) Israel and the Axis of Resistance (56:08) Political Violence Today Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#88
September 23 · 50 min
Michael Musto Remembers Everything
Michael Musto Is Mr. Adjacent Village Voice and NYC icon Michael Musto joins Michael Moynihan for a tour through the New York he chronicled from the inside, from growing up gay in Bensonhurst to the glory days of downtown nightlife, celebrity gossip, the Club Kids, Michael Alig, ACT UP, RuPaul, and the AIDS crisis. They also talk about outing celebrities, Rosie O’Donnell calling Musto a “gay Nazi,” the changing city, and what it meant to spend decades watching New York culture from just off center. Chapters -Growing Up Gay in Bensonhurst -Escaping Brooklyn for Manhattan -Outing Celebrities -Blind Items and Village Voice Lawyers -Michael Alig and the Angel Melendez Murder -Old New York and Gentrification -Mamdani -Making Money in Journalism -Was Musto Too Mean? -When Straight People Call Themselves Queer -AIDS -What Happened to the Old Club Scene? -Mr. Adjacent Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#87
September 16 · 1 hr 4 min
Jon Lovett Thinks Democrats Forgot How to Be Liberal
Jon Lovett joins the show to talk about what Pod Save America is actually trying to be, why Democrats have struggled to find a coherent political identity, and how Lovett went from writing jokes for Hillary Clinton to becoming one of the biggest voices in liberal media. They get into Hassan Piker and the socialist left, the disappearance of old-fashioned liberalism, Kamala Harris, Katie Porter, Zohran Mamdani, the politics of Woke 1.0, antisemitism on the left, Israel and Zionism, and whether a life spent arguing about politics ever gets exhausting. Plus, the childhood humiliation Lovett says made him a Democrat. Why Are Democrats So Bad at This? Why Jon Lovett Chose Politics Writing Jokes for Hillary Clinton Al Franken, Air America, and Liberal Media Hassan Piker and the Left’s Media Problem Who Gets to Be in the Democratic Tent? The Maoist Wing of the DSA What Happened to Liberalism? Kamala Harris, Katie Porter, and Political Talent How Democrats Lost Working-Class Voters Mamdani and The Fifth Column Batting Average “Desire Paths” and Woke Politics Is It Hard to Be Jewish Right Now? Brad Lander and Antisemitism on the Left “Genocide” as a Political Litmus Test Is Jon Lovett a Zionist? Does Politics Ever Get Exhausting? Ambition, Fame, and Why He Keeps Doing It Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#86
September 9 · 49 min
Penelope Spheeris Has Seen Some Sh*t
Penelope Spheeris has spent her life around chaos, from Richard Pryor and the early days of punk to Wayne’s World and the machinery of Hollywood. She joins Michael to talk about The Decline of Western Civilization, turning down Spinal Tap, fighting over Wayne’s World, and collecting decades of grudges along the way. There are stories about Lemmy, Tina Fey, Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Chris Farley, and a rhinestone dildo. Penelope has seen some shit, and she’s still happy to talk about it. (0:00) Cold Open (0:18) Monologue (1:03) Richard Pryor and the Lost Movie (6:02) Decline, Chaos, and Making Sense of Her Demons (10:45) Guns N’ Roses Bails, Megadeth Steps In (12:33) Lemmy’s Bad Review (16:16) Punk Rock, Childhood Trauma, and Seven Stepfathers (19:46) Fame, Money, and Unfulfilled Expectations (22:57) Passing on Spinal Tap (24:03) Chris Holmes and the Pool Scene (27:34) The Decline vs. Wayne’s World (29:30) Losing Wayne’s World 2 (32:07) Dana Carvey, Tina Fey, and Britney Spears (35:08) Life With Her Schizophrenic Partner (37:53) Chaos, Boredom, and Happiness (39:05) Getting Rich Without Trying (41:30) The Memoir and Being Written Out of Hollywood (44:48) Jennifer Aniston and the Dildo (47:27) Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Black Sheep Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#85
September 3 · 59 min
Gene Simmons: I Was King A-Hole for 29 Years
Gene Simmons sits down with Michael Moynihan in Los Angeles for a conversation about family, ambition, and the American dream. They talk about his mother’s survival of the Holocaust, coming to America, KISS, Bob Dylan, money, marriage, and why the music business isn’t what it used to be. Oh yeah, and after nearly 50 years as the Demon, Gene Simmons is still speeding up. (0:00) Cold Open (0:31) Monologue (1:47) Gene Simmons, Nice Jewish Boy (6:31) Assimilation, America, and Learning the Language (9:36) His Mother Survived the Holocaust (19:23) The $8 Million Check to Mom (20:05) At 77, Gene Is Speeding Up (21:03) Why KISS Had to End (22:26) Bob Dylan Shows Up to Write a Song (31:24) Selling KISS and the Business of Rock (33:23) Streaming Killed the Romance of Music (36:36) Ace, Peter, Drugs, and the Breakup of the Original Band (45:25) Diana Ross, Shannon Tweed, and the Playboy Mansion (50:50) Twenty-Nine Years as “King Asshole” (53:48) Making His Mother Proud, Then His Wife and Kids Proud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#84
August 27 · 54 min
William Shatner Doesn’t Want to Die
William Shatner sits down with Michael Moynihan in Los Angeles for a conversation about life, time, and knowledge. They talk about death, God, AI, Blue Origin, The Intruder, and the relentless curiosity that keeps Shatner looking for whatever comes next. Oh yeah, and at 95 years old, he’s releasing a heavy metal album. In the episode: (00:00) Cold Open (00:29) Monologue (02:09) Fear of Death (03:59) Religion, God and the Universe (09:26) Judgment at Nuremberg & the Holocaust (11:12) Curiosity, Aging, and Learning (19:20) Conversations With AI (22:28) Why Humans Need to Go to Mars (25:20) Blue Origin & Jeff Bezos (30:14) Growing Up Jewish & The Intruder (34:41) Luck, Failure and a Career Without a Plan (37:28) “What the F Is Heavy Metal?” (46:45) AI and Shatner’s Opera (50:16) Why Shatner Doesn’t Do Politics Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#83
March 26 · 1 hr 16 min
Have a conversation with Michael Moynihan | The Moynihan Report
Before The Moynihan Report goes on a break to regroup (and reconstitute), Michael Moynihan takes a deep dive into the "stupid era" of modern media and the weaponization of history. From the useful idiots romanticizing the Cuban regime to the decline of the public intellectual in favor of the hyper-reactive influencer, Moynihan dissects how context is lost in our chopped-up media landscape.The conversation moves from the town square test of free societies to the curious parallels between far-left
#82
March 13 · 1 hr 3 min
Iran, Israel, & a new era of political violence | The Moynihan Report
Eli Lake of The Free Press joins Michael Moynihan to break down his latest reporting on Donald Trump’s strategy toward Iran—what the administration is trying to achieve, how serious the military threat is, and what it could mean for the region.They’ll unpack the policy, the politics, and the risks of escalation.(00:11) Intro & Recent Violent Attacks (03:27) Welcoming Eli Lake & Trump's Iran Plan (11:41) The "Day After" in Iran & Regime Change Scenarios (15:25) The History of Iranian Protests & S
#81
March 6 · 1 hr 4 min
Iran, War, and the Nuclear Panic Machine | The Moynihan Report
The Moynihan Report is an in-depth 1-on-1 interview program broadcast live from 2WAY’s New York studio The U.S. says it is not a war. Reality looks different. Ships are being sunk in international waters. Militias are firing rockets across the region. Drones are crisscrossing the skies. Assassinations have become an instrument of statecraft. And the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil flows, is more dangerous than ever.This week we’re joined b
#80
February 6 · 1 hr 1 min
Epstein 101 with Arick Fudali | The Moynihan Report
Attorney Arick Fudali, managing partner at The Bloom Firm and counsel for 11 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, joins us to break down the latest controversy surrounding the DOJ’s release of millions of pages of Epstein documents. Fudali has said publicly that his clients were never contacted by the DOJ before the recent document dump, calling the rollout a “gross mishandling” that risks exposing survivors while withholding key information.We discuss what the files reveal, what’s still missing, and w
#79
February 4 · 1 hr
Jason Zengerle author of Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson | The Moynihan Report
Michael welcomes Jason Zengerle to discuss his new book, Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind. The book traces Carlson's ascendency, and explains how he became one of the most influential people on the far right.Buy the book!Subscribe to the YouTube! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#78
January 31 · 56 min
What happened last week with Colby Hall | The Moynihan Report
Michael Moynihan is joined by Colby Hall, founding editor of Mediaite, for a wide-ranging discussion on the news of the day — including the release of the Melania Trump movie and what early projections suggest about turnout and ratings. Expect a sharp, candid exchange on media, politics, and what’s actually breaking through right now.Subscribe to the YouTube! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#77
January 28 · 1 hr
The age of American Fascism? Oxford Professor Explains | The Moynihan Report
What do we actually mean when we say “fascism,” and who gets to decide?In this episode, Michael Moynihan is joined by Professor Roger Griffin of Oxford Brookes University, one of the world’s foremost scholars of fascism, for a careful and unsparing look at a claim now ricocheting through American media and politics: that Donald Trump represents a fascist turn in U.S. history.The conversation engages directly with Jonathan Rauch’s recent Atlantic essay, “Yes, It’s Fascism,” and uses it as a jumpi
#76
January 23 · 1 hr 4 min
Trump at the WEF, defining fascism, Hitler revisionist history, + more | The Moynihan Report
In this episode of The Moynihan Report, Moynihan tackles the latest New York Times/Siena poll regarding Donald Trump’s approval ratings and the American economy. Moynihan breaks down the disparity between Trump’s overall numbers and his low approval on specific issues like the Russia-Ukraine war and the Epstein files. The conversation then pivots to a critical look at the economic impact of tariffs, citing recent data from the Wall Street Journal on who actually foots the bill for trade wars.Lis
#75
January 21 · 1 hr 5 min
Everything MAGA gets wrong about economics | The Moynihan Report
This episode of The Moynihan Report features Swedish author Johan Norberg, who joins Moynihan to discuss the shifting global economic and political landscape in 2026. The conversation begins with a critical look at U.S. trade policy, where Norberg argues that recent tariffs act as a "stupid consumption tax" that harms American manufacturing by raising the cost of input materials. Contrary to the America First narrative, he contends that these costs are absorbed by consumers and businesses rather
#74
January 16 · 1 hr 5 min
ICE Raids, Minnesota, and Trump’s Insurrection Act Threat | The Moynihan Report
Tonight we examine the growing fallout from ICE raids and federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, and what it signals about the direction of the country. As unrest spreads, Donald Trump is now threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, raising urgent questions about federal power, civil liberties, and the possible use of the military inside the United States. Joining us are immigration attorney David Leopold and former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem to break down what is actually hap
#73
January 15 · 1 hr 7 min
Iran Is Burning While Trump Threatens Greenland. What Is the Endgame? | The Moynihan Report
Tonight, Michael starts solo with a look at U.S. interest in Greenland and what it means today. Mid-show, journalist and historian Eli Lake joins to dig into Iran, focusing on how the 1953 overthrow of Mohammad Mossadegh is often misunderstood and misused in current debates. Their discussion draws on Eli’s Free Press article, The Wrong Lessons from Iran’s PastRead Eli’s piece hereEli's Podcast "Breaking History"Subscribe to the YouTube! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information
#72
January 9 · 1 hr
De Blasio on Venezuela & Why Mamdani Is NYC’s Future | The Moynihan Report
In this wide-ranging and candid interview on The Moynihan Report, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joins Michael Moynihan for a deep dive into the personal history that shaped his worldview, the complexities of American foreign policy, and the future of progressive politics in NYC.The conversation begins with a moving reflection on de Blasio’s father, a World War II veteran who lost his leg at the Battle of Okinawa. De Blasio opens up about how his father’s subsequent struggle with PTSD
#71
January 7 · 56 min
Will Trump SAVE or SELL OUT Venezuela? | The Moynihan Report
Maduro is in a Brooklyn jail cell, but Venezuela is far from free.In this episode of The Moynihan Report, Moynihan returns to the mic to unpack the historic arrest of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. While the Trump administration is taking a victory lap, the reality on the ground in Caracas suggests the celebration is premature and potentially dangerous. We are joined by exiled Venezuelan journalist Germania Rodriguez Polio (formerly of Vox and the Daily Mail) to discuss why the remov
#70
Dec 19, 2025 · 55 min
The Churchill villain myth and Hitler's true obsession | The Moynihan Report
Michael Moynihan talks with Cambridge historian Brendan Simms about his biography Hitler: A Global Biography. Simms dismantles the WWII revisionism currently popular on social media: The idea that Churchjill was the war's true antagonist. Simms explains why Hitler declared war on the U.S., his obsession with German emigration to the United States, and how Nazi ideology was fueled by a deep-seated hatred of international capitalism. Hitler: A Global Biography is available here.Brendan Simms is Di

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