Best Esquire Magazine Podcasts (2025)

1
Jeff Jarvis (Editor: Entertainment Weekly, more) 48:19

1d ago48:19

48:19

THE WHISTLEBLOWER — I was a reporter and editor in newspapers, including Chicago Today—which had no tomorrow—the Chicago Tribune, and the San Francisco Examiner. I made a shift to magazines becoming TV critic for People, where I came up with the idea for Entertainment Weekly, launching in 1990. After a rocky launch—a story I tell in my new book, Ma…

1
Beers in Borough & Bermondsey; hiding from the law in two reopened pubs (April 25) 47:37

1d ago47:37

47:37

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Pellicle articleA Day in RyeDouble Tap TakeoverA Day in East LondonCarshaltonDeserter StoriesPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Readers' LetterBook CornerBum DosserSoc Med SceneBy Deserter

1
Hillary Brenhouse (Founder & Editor-in-Chief: Elastic) 40:46

9d ago40:46

40:46

IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES — Psychedelia has an image problem. At least that’s what editor and journalist Hillary Brenhouse realized after she saw through the haze. Both in art and literature, psychedelia was way more than tie-dye t-shirts and magic mushrooms. Instead of letting that idea fade into the mist, she kept thinking about it. And the more…

1
Françoise Mouly (Art Editor: The New Yorker, more) 59:53

16d ago59:53

59:53

WHEN EUSTACE MET FRANÇOISE — I first met Françoise Mouly at The New Yorker’s old Times Square offices. This was way back when artists used to deliver illustrations in person. I had stopped by to turn in a spot drawing and was introduced to Françoise, their newly-minted cover art editor. I should have been intimidated, but I was fresh off the boat …

1
Alex Heeyeon Kil (Editor-in-Chief: Monochromator) 26:13

23d ago26:13

26:13

EVERY DAY IS MOTHER’S DAY — A monochromator is an optical device that separates light, like sunlight or the light from a lamp, into a range of individual wavelengths and then allows … … Sorry. I failed physics the last time I took it and I would fail it again. I’m not telling you about my shortcomings for any reason, because a podcast about my shor…

1
David Granger (Editor: Esquire, GQ, more) 1:13:45

30d ago1:13:45

1:13:45

A MAN AT HIS F*#KING BEST — While several interesting themes have surfaced in this podcast, one of the more unexpected threads is this: Nearly all magazine-inclined men dream of one day working at Esquire. Some women, too. Turns out that’s also true for today’s guest, which is a good thing because that’s exactly what David Granger did. “But all thi…

1
East Dulwich & Herne Hill: beer & brewers, refurbs & expansions, love & death (March 2025) 52:31

1M ago52:31

52:31

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Malcolm Bennett nightFirst Day of CheltenhamGold Cup DayGravesendDalstonPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Meet the Brewer: Will HiscocksReaders' LettersBook CornerDesert Island CrispsBum DosserSocial Media SceneBy Deserter

1
Melissa Goldstein & Natalia Rachlin (Founders: Mother Tongue) 29:29

1M ago29:29

29:29

EVERY DAY IS MOTHER’S DAY — If The Full Bleed’s second season had a theme, it just might be “We Made A New Magazine During the Pandemic.” Listen to past episodes and you’ll see that our collective and unprecedented existential crisis ended up producing a lot of magazines. Melissa Goldstein and Natalia Rachlin met as coworkers at the lifestyle brand…

1
Simon Esterson (Designer: Eye, Blueprint, The Guardian, more) 54:18

1M ago54:18

54:18

“THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE GRAPHIC DESIGN” — Simon Esterson is one of the most influential figures in British magazine design shaping the field for decades with his distinctive approach to editorial work. Unlike many designers who built their careers within major publishing houses, Esterson chose a different path, gravitating toward indepen…

1
Anja Charbonneau (Founder: Broccoli) 39:51

2M ago39:51

39:51

A WEED GROWS IN PORTLAND — Anja Charbonneau would be the first to admit she didn’t have a strategy in mind when she launched her dreamy celebration of all things marijuana, Broccoli magazine, back in 2016. Having worked as a freelance photographer and writer, and then as Creative Director of lifestyle favorite Kinfolk, she started Broccoli with the…

1
Emergency Pubcast from Blythe Hill Tavern, a chat with the new owner & all the usual stuff (Feb 25) 53:40

2M ago53:40

53:40

In this episode:Pub EmergencyPub Quiz 1Back from SpainIce Hockey at StreathamGoldie Lookin ChainHamlet Comedy & Verdant Tap TakeoverEmail from HeatherPub and Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Meet the new owner of the BlytheBook Corner ft. Jake Hawkey & Sam CullenBum DosserSocial Media Scene…

1
Bob Guccione Jr. (Founder & Editor: SPIN, Gear, more) 47:16

2M ago47:16

47:16

THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON — Nearly 40 years after its launch, Spin magazine has returned to print—and at the helm, once again, is its founding editor and today’s guest, Bob Guccione Jr. Launched in 1985 as a scrappy, rebellious alternative to Rolling Stone, Spin became a defining voice in music journalism, championing emerging artists and unde…

1
Kyle Tibbs Jones (Cofounder: The Bitter Southerner) 33:26

2M ago33:26

33:26

THEY’RE FIXIN’ TO CHANGE YOUR MIND — The people behind The Bitter Southerner are many things but they are not, they will remind you, actually bitter. The tongue is planted quite firmly in the cheek here. But The Bitter Southerner is, for sure, like it says on the website, “a beacon for the American South and a bellwether for the nation.” Sure, why …

1
Paula Scher (Designer: Pentagram, more) 52:57

2M ago52:57

52:57

MAKE IT BIG. NO BIGGER — Paula Scher is not really a “magazine person.” But if you ever needed evidence of the value of what we like to call “magazine thinking,” look no further than Pentagram, the world’s most influential design firm. The studio boasts a roster of partners whose work is rooted in magazine design: Colin Forbes, David Hillman, Kit H…

1
Maria Dimitrova & Haley Mlotek (Editors: A Fucking Magazine) 47:20

3M ago47:20

47:20

WTF IS AFM? — Feeld is a dating app “for the curious” and its users are an adventurous, thoughtful bunch. And Feeld is also a tech company that happens to be led by thoughtful long-term types who see the value in print as a cornerstone for their community of customers. Enter A Fucking Magazine. Led by editors Maria Dimitrova and Haley Mlotek, AFM i…

1
Jake Silverstein (Editor: The New York Times Magazine, more) 51:06

3M ago51:06

51:06

THE WINNER — Clang! Clink! Bang! Hear that? It’s the sound of all the hardware that Jake Silverstein’s New York Times Magazine has racked up in his almost eleven years at its helm: Pulitzers and ASMEs are heavy, people! When we were preparing to speak to Jake, we reached out to a handful of editors who have loyally worked with him for years to find…

1
JJ Kramer (Chairman: Creem) 36:20

3M ago36:20

36:20

THE HEART OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL — There’s a saying about the Velvet Underground’s first album: it didn’t sell a lot of copies but everyone who bought it went on to form a band. Not everyone who read Creem went on to form a band, but almost everyone who ever wrote about rock music in a significant way has a connection to Creem. Founded in Detroit in 1969…

1
Pubcast Home & Away: live from South London and Spain 56:31

3M ago56:31

56:31

In this episode:Bottle Shop QuizSpanish Flee - a tale of two FixersFestivus and NYEDHFC awayday hat-trickPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsBook CornerDesert Island CrispspsBum DosserUnsocial Media SceneBy Deserter

1
Max Meighen & Nicola Hamlton (Founder & Designer: Serviette) 32:31

3M ago32:31

32:31

FARM-TO-NEWSSTAND PUBLISHING — The pandemic screwed a lot of businesses over, but it did a real number on the restaurant industry. Beset by low margins at the best of times, Covid was to the business what a neglected pot of boiling milk is to your stove top. But Max Meighen, a restaurant owner in Toronto decided to fill in his down time by … creati…

1
Maya Moumne (Designer/Founder, Journal Safar, Al Hayya) 25:51

4M ago25:51

25:51

NOT THE SAFE CHOICE — Most magazines are not political. Unless, that is, you create a bilingual Arabic-English language magazine about design out of Beirut. Or another bilingual magazine about women and gender—also out of Beirut. Then, perhaps, your intentions are a bit less opaque. Maya Moumne is a Lebanese designer by training who now divides her…

1
Katie Drummond (Global Editorial Director: Wired) 43:59

4M ago43:59

43:59

CHAMPION OF A BETTER FUTURE — Wired magazine feels like it’s been around forever. And perhaps these days any media that has been around for over 30 years qualifies as forever. It has, certainly, been around during the entirety of the digital age. It has been witness to the birth of the internet, of social media, of cellphones, and of AI. It feels l…

1
Gael Towey (Designer: Martha Stewart Living, MSLO, House & Garden, more) 1:09:43

4M ago1:09:43

1:09:43

EVERYONE IS A SALESMAN — In 1995, New York magazine declared Martha Stewart the “Definitive American Woman of Our Time.” And, as the saying goes (sort of), behind every Definitive American Woman of Our Time is another Definitive American Woman of Our Time. And that’s today’s guest, designer Gael Towey. But let’s back up. It’s 1982, and Martha Stewa…

1
Alan Webber & Bill Taylor (Founders: Fast Company) 58:18

4M ago58:18

58:18

THE BRAND CALLED US — In the summer of 1995, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse. It came from my guests today, Alan Webber and Bill Taylor, the founding editors of Fast Company, widely acknowledged as one of the magazine industry’s great success stories. Their vision for the magazine was an exercise in thinking different. Nothing we did hewed to the …

1
Beers in Borough, plus brogues, babies, bishops and bum(per) dossers (Dec 24) 46:57

4M ago46:57

46:57

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Live at Resonance FM, Brixton Brewery and Southey BrewingThe shoe must go onFanzine awardsJames' leaving doPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Desert Island Crisps by Dr Dick DixonReader's LettersBum(per) DosserSocial Media SceneI'm the Bishop of Southwark!…

1
Jody Quon (Photo Editor: New York, The New York Times Magazine, more) 1:07:56

4M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT REPLY — Jody Quon’s desk is immaculate. There’s a lot there, but she knows exactly where everything is. It’s like an image out of Things Organized Neatly. She rarely swears. Or loses her temper. In fact she’s one of the most temperate people in the office. Maybe the most. She’s often been referred to as a “rock.” Sh…

1
Samira Nasr (Editor: Harper’s Bazaar) 44:24

4M ago44:24

44:24

CHIC, BUT MAKE IT NICE — It’s a cliché because it’s true: in the fashion world, you’ve got your show ponies and you’ve got your workhorses. We mean it as a compliment when we say that Samira Nasr truly earned her place at the helm of the 156-year-old institution, Harper’s Bazaar. Don’t get us wrong; Samira is seriously glamorous—she’s the kind of w…

1
New Show! Introducing The Next Page Pod featuring designer and bookstore owner Barbara deWilde 43:00

5M ago43:00

43:00

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER — “I was a publication designer for 20 years, making book covers at Knopf with Sonny Mehta, Carol Carson, and Chip Kidd. Later, in the early aughts, I made stories and books—and other things—at Martha Stewart Living. Then I took a brief adventure to graduate school—to learn a new trade. And finally I moved to The New York…

1
David Haskell (Editor: New York Magazine; Proprietor: Kings County Distillery) 51:37

5M ago51:37

51:37

A PRETTY COMPLICATED ORGANISM — Like many of you, I was stunned by what happened on November 5th. It’s gonna take me some time to reckon with what this all says about the values of a large portion of this country. As part of that reckoning—and for some much-needed relief—I’ve opted to spend less time with media in general for a bit. But on “the mor…

1
Like a Bridge over Canada Water. Two men messing about in SE16 (Nov 24) 52:07

5M ago52:07

52:07

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1 WhitstableRochesterPickle FestRoyal Vauxhall TavernShirker's nightsPub and Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Desert Island Crisps with Natalie WhittleReaders' LettersBum DosserSMSBy Deserter

1
Steve Brodner (Illustrator: The Nation, The New Yorker, more) 45:33

6M ago45:33

45:33

WHAT MAKES STEVE BRODNER HAPPY — When your boss tells you to track down an amusing Steve Brodner factoid to open the podcast with, and one of the first things you find is a, uh, a “dick army,” welp, that’s what you’re going to go with. Lest you judge me, I can explain. Brodner’s drawing of this army was inspired by a guy who was actually named Dick…

1
E. Jean Carroll (Writer: Elle, Esquire, Outside, more) 44:42

6M ago44:42

44:42

SHE’S OUR TYPE — Everybody knows that in May 2023, a jury found Donald Trump liable for defaming and abusing E. Jean Carroll, and awarded her $5 million. And everybody also knows that in January 2024, another jury found Trump liable for defamation against her to the tune of $83.3 million. P.S., with interest, his payout will now total over $100 mil…

1
Catford, Bellingham and the search for an open pub. Plus beer, crisps and Cole Palmer (Oct 24) 58:58

6M ago58:58

58:58

In this episode:Lime bike to the velodromeTwo new pieces on DeserterProper Soho night outClassic Borough funeralHiking on Cromer PierGreen hop early doors lock inSpoons moment #327Pub & Beer News Crisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsBook Corner Readers' LettersSoc Med SceneHappy newsBy Deserter

1
Richard Baker (Designer: Us, Life, Premiere, more) 59:24

7M ago59:24

59:24

SOUL SURVIVOR — Just about every magazine Richard Baker worked for has died. Even one called Life. Also dead: The Washington Post Magazine, Vibe, Premiere, and Parade. Another, Saveur, also died, but has recently been resurrected. And Us Magazine? A mere shadow of its former self. Sadly, Baker’s career narrative is not that uncommon. (That’s why yo…

1
Will Welch (Editor: GQ, GQ Style, The Fader, more) 47:49

7M ago47:49

47:49

SMILING THROUGH THE APOCALYPSE — In the past few weeks, Will Welch has taken a bit of flack for letting Beyoncé promote her new whiskey label on the cover of GQ’s October issue, with an interview that one X user described as “an intimate email exchange between GQ and several layers of Beyonce’s comms team.” Whether that kind of thing rankles you or…

1
Beers in Bermo: all the latest news about pubs, drugs, crisps and slacking off (Sept 24) 59:09

7M ago59:09

59:09

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1AvignonDartmoorKernel BirthdayClapton v Lewisham BoroLounging at the PromsTap room crawlPub and Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsBurger NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Book CornerReaders' Letters- Jessica Pegula and the ultimate Deserter animalBum DosserSocial Media SceneBy Deserter

1
Dominique Browning (Editor & Author: House & Garden, Esquire, Texas Monthly, more) 33:37

8M ago33:37

33:37

WHEN ‘HOUSE’ IS NOT A HOME — Dominique Browning jokes that after the interview for this episode, she might end up having PTSD. After more than 30 years writing and editing at some of the top magazines in the world, Browning has blocked a lot of it out. And after listening today, you’ll understand why. At Esquire, where she worked early in her caree…

1
Fabien Baron (Designer: Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, French Vogue, more) 50:37

8M ago50:37

50:37

VIVE LA CREATIVITE! — There are many reasons for you to hate Fabien Baron (especially if you’re the jealous type). Here are 7 of them: • He’s French, which means, among other things, his accent is way sexier than yours. • He’s spent an inordinate amount of time in the company of supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Kate Moss. • …

1
Tom Bodkin (Chief Creative Officer: The New York Times) 1:05:11

8M ago1:05:11

1:05:11

THE FIFTH — You cannot overstate how much Tom Bodkin has changed the Times. In fact, you can say that there was the Times before Tom and the Times after Tom. The Times before Tom threw as many words as possible at the page, with little regard for the reader. The Times before Tom thought tossing a couple of headshots on the page was all the visual j…

1
Best of PID—Hans Teensma (Designer: Outside, New England Monthly, Disney, more) 36:05

8M ago36:05

36:05

DUTCH MASTER — Dutch-born, California-raised designer Hans Teensma began his magazine career working alongside editor Terry McDonell at Outside magazine, which Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner launched in San Francisco in 1977. When Wenner sold Outside two years later, Teensma and McDonell headed to Denver to launch a new regional, Rocky Mountain …

1
Best of PID—Janet Froelich (Designer: The New York Times Magazine, T, Real Simple) 56:46

8M ago56:46

56:46

THE ART DIRECTOR’S ART DIRECTOR — Janet Froelich is one of the most influential and groundbreaking creative directors of all time. For over two decades, she lead the creative teams at The New York Times Magazine and its sister publication, T: The New York Times Style Magazine. In this episode, Froelich recalls her own personal 9/11 story, and what …

1
Peckham Pints with William Blake, Pompey, Pisci, Goose and Ned. Have you got a pipe? (Aug 24) 53:37

8M ago53:37

53:37

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1A month of musicPompey day cancelledA funeralA month of sportPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Desert Island CrispspspsReaders' LettersBum DosserSocial Media SceneBy Deserter

1
Best of PID—Dan Winters (Photographer: The New York Times, Texas Monthly, Wired, more) 1:30:00

9M ago1:30:00

1:30:00

A HANDY MAN — Photographers are gearheads. They’re always throwing around brand names, model numbers, product specs. So when legendary photographer Eddie Adams asked today’s guest, Dan Winters, if he knew how to handle a JD-450, it was a no-brainer. He had grown up with a JD-350. So yeah, the 450 would be no problem. But here’s the funny thing: the…

1
Best of PID—George Gendron (Editor: Inc., New York, Boston Magazine, more) 54:53

9M ago54:53

54:53

THE JAZZ OF THE NEWSROOM — In this episode, we talk to George Gendron, the long-time editor [Inc. Magazine] and educator who created one of the first liberal arts-based entrepreneurship programs in America. We talk about his first job working under legendary editor Clay Felker in the early days of New York magazine, how a third-grade book report se…

1
Best of PID—Michele Outland (Designer: Bon Appétit, Gather Journal, Nylon, more) 49:45

9M ago49:45

49:45

THE ARTIST AS ENTREPRENEUR — Michele Outland has spent her career at some really beautiful magazines. Beautiful ... because she made them that way. Her resume includes stops at Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, Domino, Nylon, and Bon Appétit, as well as the magazine she created and launched with her good friend, Fiorella Valdesolo: Gather Journal. Ga…

1
Deptford Drink-up: a new pub, a vague Spanish theme, crisps galore and a ton of pub news (July 24) 53:02

9M ago53:02

53:02

In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Summer Bus PartySpanish fleeMargate liggingBankside FestivalThe PublicanPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Bum DosserSocial Media SceneBy Deserter

1
Best of PID—Kurt Andersen (Author & Editor: Spy Magazine, New York, Studio360, more) 1:00:07

9M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

THE GREATEST STARTUP IN THE HISTORY OF MAGAZINE STARTUPS — We’ve always had a thing for magazine launches. They’re filled with drama and melodrama, people behaving with passion and conviction, and people ... misbehaving. Anything to get that first issue onto the stands and into the hands of readers. Some new ventures seem to sneak in the back door.…

1
Best of PID—Roger Black (Designer: Rolling Stone, Esquire, Newsweek, New York, Smart, more) 1:02:17

10M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

WHAT’S BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER? — Roger Black is a pioneer. His art direction of iconic print brands and high-profile redesigns, his early embrace of digital publishing technology, and his typographic innovations are hallmarks of a 50-year, trailblazing career. He’s refined his design mastery at publications ranging from Rolling Stone to E…

1
Rob Orchard (Cofounder/Editor: Delayed Gratification, Time Out, more) 37:30

10M ago37:30

37:30

THE SLOWER THE BETTER — Given that this is the final show of the season, it is perhaps a bit poetic that our guest today is Rob Orchard from Delayed Gratification. Not that we would plan an episode around a bad pun. Not us. Delayed Gratification is media created to comment on, and offer a counterpoint to, the media. Rob Orchard and his team met eac…

1
Richard Turley (Designer: Interview, Bloomberg Businessweek, Civilization, more) 42:44

10M ago42:44

42:44

RICHARD TURLEY CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP — Richard Turley is changing the idea of the magazine. Richard Turley has no idea what a magazine is in the year 2024. And in this sense, he is not so different from you or I. Richard Turley’s magazines—and there are many—are confrontations, loaded with text, or not, sometimes, but if you ask him, he’s not sure…

1
Deserter 10th Anniversary show, with Ned Boulting, part-live from the Shirker’s Rest (Jun 24) 48:42

10M ago48:42

48:42

In this episode:Deserter is 10 - Q&A with Ned Boulting, live at the Shirker's RestLobster flavoured crispsA History of Crisps read by Dirty SouthLike Father, Like Son read by Dulwich RaiderBack to usual next monthBy Deserter

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Esquire Magazine Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide