Shows / On with Kara Swisher
On with Kara Swisher
It's on. Twice a week, award-winning journalist Kara Swisher gets to the heart of the story through no-holds-barred interviews with power players across business, tech, media, politics and beyond. So why do her guests show up? “Smart people,” says Kara, “like difficult questions.” Mondays and Thursdays from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
- On with Kara Swisher
Makeup Mogul Bobbi Brown on Reinventing Herself in Her 60s
In the late 80s and early 90s, makeup artist Bobbi Brown made a name for herself by pioneering a more natural look long before it became the dominant trend…
- On with Kara Swisher
Free Speech, Colleges & Trump with Princeton President Chris Eisgruber
Universities have been in the crosshairs of the White House since President Trump took office — and Princeton University president Christopher Eisgruber is one…
- On with Kara Swisher
Sen. Smith on the Shutdown, Democrats’ Future, and Retiring Early
At age 67, Sen. Tina Smith (D, MN) is doing something that’s still rather rare for senators: retiring at a relatively young age, after just one full term in…
- On with Kara Swisher
Did ChatGPT Encourage a Teen Suicide? The Parents Suing OpenAI Say Yes
Matt and Maria Raine say their son, 16-year-old Adam Raine, started using ChatGPT-4o in September 2024 to help with his homework. After Adam died by suicide…
- On with Kara Swisher
Pete Buttigieg on Biden, Trump, Gaza, and His 2028 Presidential Plans
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is on the shortlist of Democrats expected to make a run for the White House in 2028. Six years ago, the…
- On with Kara Swisher
Joe Manchin on Trump, the Dems & the Filibuster
For years, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia was a Democrat with a habit of voting against the party line. Not surprisingly, that was something many…
- On with Kara Swisher
How To AI: A Practical Business Q&A With Three Experts
As more companies push AI in their workplaces, the technology is rapidly reshaping the way many of us do our jobs. But a lot of people — from entry-level…
- On with Kara Swisher
Is AI Hollywood’s Newest Star? Runway AI’s Vision for the Future of Film
AI video generators are making storytelling more affordable — and one day, the tools may allow anyone with enough creativity to become a filmmaker. But the…
- On with Kara Swisher
How A ‘Brittle’ Constitution Broke U.S. Politics with Historian Jill Lepore
In her latest book, We the People, the historian, New Yorker staff writer, and Harvard University professor Jill Lepore turns her attention to the history of…
- On with Kara Swisher
Liberal Media Bias, Trump & Taming Big Tech with Cable Impresario John Malone
While media pioneer John Malone may not be a household name, he’s had a hand in shaping how all of us watch TV. Malone built Denver-based Tele-Communications…
- On with Kara Swisher
Labor Day Special: Hacks On Tap
Happy Labor Day! Today, we’re bringing you a special episode from our friends at Hacks on Tap. This one is hosted by David Axelrod and John Heilemann, and…
- On with Kara Swisher
Joy Reid on Dems, Gaza & Independent Media
Joy Reid was an early social media adopter — which didn’t always go over well with her former bosses at MSNBC. But after her primetime show, The ReidOut, was…
- On with Kara Swisher
Cartoons, Capitalism & Censorship: Alison Bechdel & Ann Telnaes on Politics in Art
How do artists hold the powerful to account? Graphic novelist Alison Bechdel and editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes have been grappling with that question for…
- On with Kara Swisher
Why Trump’s Economic Illiteracy Might *Not* Tank the Economy
Tariffs are up, but inflation is still holding steady. Job numbers are down, but the stock market is booming. Meanwhile, President Trump fired the head of the…
- On with Kara Swisher
Why Trump’s Cartoonish Fascism Is So Effective with Jason Stanley
As federal troops patrol the capital and masked men whisk away immigrants in unmarked cars, it’s reasonable to ask: is President Trump a fascist? According to…
- On with Kara Swisher
What Makes A Man? Richard Reeves on Addressing the Struggles Facing Boys and Men
Are boys and men in crisis? Kara tackles the "male malaise" head-on with Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and…
- On with Kara Swisher
Unpacking the Myth of John F. Kennedy Jr.
More than 25 years after his tragic death, John F. Kennedy Jr. remains one of the most captivating figures in American public life. He was handsome, charming…
- On with Kara Swisher
Kids These Days: The Impact of Tech, Social Media and AI on Adolescents
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2022, more than one in three U.S. adolescents between the ages of 18 and 25 had…
- On with Kara Swisher
Robert Reich on Democrats’ Failures, Trump’s Fascism & Populism
Democrats have abandoned the working class, according to former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, leading working people to fall for President Trump’s hollow and…
- On with Kara Swisher
Journalists or Creators? How Media Entrepreneurs Are Reshaping News
Legacy media isn’t dead, but journalists are leaving traditional outlets in swarms to launch their own newsletters, podcasts and social media ventures, and…
- On with Kara Swisher
Epstein, Trump & the MAGA Meltdown — Sorting Fact from Fiction
Ever since Trump was re-elected in 2024, his MAGA base has been eagerly awaiting the release of the Epstein files. So it came as a shock when, in July, a…
- On with Kara Swisher
When AI F*s Up, Who’s to Blame? With Bruce Holsinger
What happens when artificial intelligence collides with family, morality and the need for justice? Author and University of Virginia professor Bruce Holsinger…
- On with Kara Swisher
TikTok Is Changing How We Talk & How We Vote
Social media algorithms are leading to the creation of new words, new accents, and even new identities. And while using the apps may seem like a fun, trivial…
- On with Kara Swisher
Making Trump Pay with E. Jean Carroll and Roberta Kaplan
“Not my type” is what President Donald Trump said about writer and former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll after she accused him of sexually assaulting her in…
- On with Kara Swisher
Science vs. Silicon Valley with Adam Becker
How skeptical should we be about the bill of goods (often marketed as needs) sold to us by Silicon Valley? Very, says Adam Becker, an astrophysicist and author…
- On with Kara Swisher
Taking on Trump Family Corruption with Rep. Robert Garcia
Rep. Robert Garcia was recently elected as the ranking member of the powerful House Oversight Committee by his fellow House Democrats. He won a top job that…
- On with Kara Swisher
The 2024 Election Post-Mortem: How Trump Beat the Odds
Despite the chaos of January 6th, 34 felony convictions, and his party’s underperformance in the 2022 midterms, Donald J. Trump is once again president. How…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Red Scare Returns? Lessons from McCarthyism in the Age of Trump 2.0
President Trump and other Republicans keep throwing around the C-word — Communist — to smear anyone slightly progressive, including Zohran Mamdani, New York…
- On with Kara Swisher
Jerrod Carmichael on Truth in Comedy, Coming Out Late & Religion
Kara Swisher sits down with Emmy-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael for a raw and revealing conversation about truth, family, faith — and the art of standup…
- On with Kara Swisher
Trump's Iran Strikes: Triumph, Stalemate or Setback?
President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran shocked much of the world — but America’s involvement was over almost as soon as it began, and so far, it hasn’t…
- On with Kara Swisher
Molly Jong-Fast on How to Survive Anything
Molly Jong-Fast is best known as a writer and political commentator. But before she became the host of Fast Politics with Molly Jong-Fast, a regular on MSNBC…
- On with Kara Swisher
MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace on Iran & the Limits of Trump’s Power
As President Trump considers striking Iran, Kara talks to Nicolle Wallace — host of MSNBC’S Deadline: White House and the new podcast The Best People. They…
- On with Kara Swisher
Young Democrats vs. the Gerontocracy
“Democrats in disarray” is more than just a trope — after last year’s disastrous elections, Democrats are openly fretting about how to pull the party out of…
- On with Kara Swisher
Never Ever Getting Back Together? The Trump/Elon Breakup
After reportedly speaking to President Trump on the phone, Elon Musk took to Twitter, on Wednesday, to say he regrets “some” of his tweets about President…
- On with Kara Swisher
NPR CEO Katherine Maher on GOP Attacks, Editorial Criticisms & Digital Evolution
For the past five decades, every Republican president except Gerald Ford has tried to cut funding for public media. But NPR and PBS have never dealt with a…
- On with Kara Swisher
'Mountainhead' Writer & Director Jesse Armstrong on Tech Bros, Murdoch and AI
From media moguls to tech billionaires, Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning writer, producer and director Jesse Armstrong knows how to tap into the psyche…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg on the Long-Term Consequences of Trump 2.0
Jeffrey Goldberg has been a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side since the real-estate developer–turned reality-show host first ran for office in 2016. Back…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Revenge Presidency with Maggie Haberman
As the One Big Beautiful Bill Act lumbers through Congress, President Trump lobs threats at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Truth Social, and the…
- On with Kara Swisher
Can Smaller Startups Compete in the AI Race?
Last year, AI and machine learning startups raked in about half of all VC funding in North America. And so far this year, AI is still leading the pack. But a…
- On with Kara Swisher
Sam Altman, OpenAI and the Future of Artificial (General) Intelligence
Few technological advances have made the kind of splash –– and had the potential long-term impact –– that ChatGPT did in November 2022. It made a nonprofit…
- On with Kara Swisher
Barry Diller Unfiltered: on Family, Fortune, Elon, Trump & AI
Barry Diller’s fingerprints are all over pop culture. From inventing the Movie of the Week and pioneering the television mini-series to launching the FOX…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Daily Show's Jordan Klepper Takes on Next-Gen MAGA and the Manosphere
Few people have as much knowledge of the MAGAsphere as Jordan Klepper, co-host and correspondent for The Daily Show. Klepper has been covering President Trump…
- On with Kara Swisher
Christiane Amanpour on Hot Wars, Trade Wars & Potential Wars
Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, joins Kara to unpack current and potential conflicts — from simmering tension between India and Pakistan…
- On with Kara Swisher
Trump’s First and Next 100 Days
The first few months of President Trump’s second term have been chaotic, to say the least. There have been an unprecedented number of executive actions that…
- On with Kara Swisher
Gov. Wes Moore Talks Trump, Democrats, DOGE — and Running in 2028?
Governor Wes Moore of Maryland was elected less than three years ago, but he’s already on the shortlist of potential Democratic presidential candidates for…
- On with Kara Swisher
AMD CEO Lisa Su on AI Chips, Trump's Tariffs and the Magic of Open Source
In 2014, when Lisa Su took over as CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, AMD was on the verge of bankruptcy. Su bet hard on hardware and not only pulled the…
- On with Kara Swisher
From The Office to SNAFU: Ed Helms on History, Politics & Comedy
Ed Helms is best known for playing Andy Bernard in The Office and Stu in The Hangover trilogy. But the comedic actor is also the politically engaged…
- On with Kara Swisher
Judith Butler on Why Gender Is in Trump’s Crosshairs
Philosopher and critical theorist Judith Butler, Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School at UC Berkeley, has been at the forefront of gender theory for…
- On with Kara Swisher
Trump, Immigration & the Erosion of Due Process
President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has led to a series of legal skirmishes with major constitutional implications. To unpack it all, Kara speaks to…
- On with Kara Swisher
Why Melinda French Gates is Betting On Women in Politics, Business and Tech
Melinda French Gates is a businesswoman and philanthropist, as well as an advocate for women and girls both in the U.S. and abroad. And over the past few…
- On with Kara Swisher
Trump's Tariffs: Chaos, Confusion & Consequences
President Trump's chaotic rollout and partial rollback of tariffs has roiled financial markets and confused many allies, both domestically and internationally…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Daily Show’s Josh Johnson Can Make Even A Recession Funny
Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comic and actor Josh Johnson may be the most prolific comedian on the internet right now. You might recognize him as a regular…
- On with Kara Swisher
The Onion’s Owner on Satire, Infowars, Defending Democracy & Trump
Last year, after pressure from activist investors, Jeff Lawson stepped down from his perch as CEO from Twilio, the cloud communications company he co-founded…
- On with Kara Swisher
Trump’s Attacks on the Press and on Freedom of Expression
President Donald Trump has always bashed the press. But his attacks are no longer just rhetorical — he’s using lawsuits to intimidate the news media, and he’s…
- On with Kara Swisher
Michelle Buteau on Comedy, Community and Calling Out Dave Chappelle
Comedian Michelle Buteau is a true mutli-hyphenate — actor, standup comic, TV host, podcaster, and executive producer — and she wouldn’t have it any other way…
- On with Kara Swisher
Graydon Carter on Vanity Fair, Editing & a Short-Fingered Vulgarian Named Trump
Graydon Carter is the co-founder of Spy Magazine and Air Mail, and for 25 years, he was the editor of Vanity Fair. His memoir, When The Going Was Good…
- On with Kara Swisher
Fired Up: FTC Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter Say They’ll Fight Trump
President Trump fired Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter, the two Democratic commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, last week, sending shock waves…
- On with Kara Swisher
Is America Ready for a Full-Blown Cyberwar? with Nicole Perlroth, Michael Schmidt & Lt. Col. Vindman
Everything, everywhere, all at once — but not the movie. This is how cybersecurity experts describe a scenario where a foreign adversary shuts off critical…
- On with Kara Swisher
Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson: Less Obstruction, More Government
Scarcity is a policy choice — one liberals need to reject and replace with abundance, according to journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson in their new book…
- On with Kara Swisher
Chelsea Handler on Men, Trump & Money (+ Excellent Parenting Advice)
From spiking her childhood lemonade stand drinks with vodka to launching Netflix's first talk show, Chelsea Handler has always had an entrepreneurial instinct…