Best Freakonomics Network Podcasts (2025)

1
90. Closed Captions 19:05

15h ago19:05

19:05

It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep up. SOURCES: Doug Karlovits, general manager at Verbit. Katie Ryan, live steno captioner at Verbit. RESOURCES: "The Long Case for Machine Shorthand," b…

1
19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement? 34:31

2d ago34:31

34:31

Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on September 20, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
156. A Solution to America’s Gun Problem 59:24

3d ago59:24

59:24

Jens Ludwig has an idea for how to fix America’s gun violence problem — and it starts by rejecting conventional wisdom from both sides of the political aisle. SOURCES: Jens Ludwig, professor of economics at the University of Chicago and director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. RESOURCES: Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of America…

1
631. Will "3 Summers of Lincoln" Make It to Broadway? 46:19

4d ago46:19

46:19

It’s been in development for five years and has at least a year to go. On the eve of its out-of-town debut, the actor playing Lincoln quit. And the producers still need to raise another $15 million to bring the show to New York. There really is no business like show business. (Part three of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Christopher Ashley, artisti…

1
Is It a Theater Piece or a Psychological Experiment? (Update) 37:13

6d ago37:13

37:13

In an episode from 2012, we looked at what Sleep No More and the Stanford Prison Experiment can tell us about who we really are. SOURCES: Felix Barrett, artistic director of Punchdrunk. Steven Levitt, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus at Stanford University. RESOURCES: “Philip Zimbardo, the psy…

1
89. Locksmiths 18:59

8d ago18:59

18:59

The ability to get into any home, car, or safe can be lucrative — but fixing locks is a tough business. Zachary Crockett gets the key information. SOURCES: Wayne Winton, owner of Tri-County Locksmith Service. Philip Mortillaro Sr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths. Philip Mortillaro Jr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths. RESOURCES: "Tools of the Tr…

1
18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid? 29:39

9d ago29:39

29:39

Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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630. On Broadway, Nobody Knows Nothing 1:01:30

11d ago1:01:30

1:01:30

A hit like Hamilton can come from nowhere while a sure bet can lose $20 million in a flash. We speak with some of the biggest producers in the game — Sonia Friedman, Jeffrey Seller, Hal Luftig — and learn that there is only one guarantee: the theater owners always win. (Part two of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Debby Buchholz, managing director of…

1
88. Fortune Cookies 20:26

15d ago20:26

20:26

Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey. SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Lee, documentarian and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Norman Wong, C.E.O. of Wonton Food. RESOURCES: "Canadian Influencer’s Amazement at Absence…

1
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’? 32:31

16d ago32:31

32:31

Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
155. Helping People Die 54:57

17d ago54:57

54:57

Ellen Wiebe is a physician who helps seriously ill patients end their lives in Canada, where assisted suicide is legal. Is death a human right? SOURCES: Ellen Wiebe, clinical professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia. RESOURCES: "The Last Decision by the World’s Leading Thinker on Decisions," by Jason Zweig (The Wall Street Journa…

1
629. How Is Live Theater Still Alive? 59:43

18d ago59:43

59:43

It has become fiendishly expensive to produce, and has more competition than ever. And yet the believers still believe. Why? And does the world really want a new musical about ... Abraham Lincoln?! (Part one of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Christopher Ashley, artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse. Quentin Darrington, actor. Joe DiPietro, playwr…

1
Policymaking Is Not a Science — Yet (Update) 45:28

20d ago45:28

45:28

Why do so many promising solutions in education, medicine, and criminal justice fail to scale up into great policy? And can a new breed of “implementation scientists” crack the code? SOURCES: Patti Chamberlain, senior research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center. John List, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Lauren Supp…

1
87. Ski Areas 20:12

22d ago20:12

20:12

When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow. SOURCES: Andrew Gast, general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Rob Goodell, chief operating officer at Loveland Ski Area. RESOURCES: "State of the U.S. Ski Industry" (National S…

1
16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented? 31:42

23d ago31:42

31:42

Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
Yul Kwon: “Don't Try to Change Yourself All at Once.” (Update) 44:49

24d ago44:49

44:49

He has been a lawyer, an instructor at the F.B.I. Academy, the owner of a frozen-yogurt chain, and a winner of the TV show Survivor. Today, Kwon works at Google, but things haven’t always come easily for him. Steve Levitt talks to Kwon about his debilitating childhood anxieties, his compulsion to choose the hardest path in life, and how Kwon used g…

1
628. Sludge, Part 2: Is Government the Problem, or the Solution? 48:31

25d ago48:31

48:31

There is no sludgier place in America than Washington, D.C. But there are signs of a change. We’ll hear about this progress — and ask where Elon Musk and DOGE fit in. (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Benjamin Handel, professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. Jennifer Pahlka, founde…

1
86. Toothpaste 16:55

29d ago16:55

16:55

We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit. SOURCES: Stephan Habif, chief technology officer at Colgate-Palmolive. Sergio Leite, global head of Oral Care R&D at Colgate-Palmolive. Peter Miskell, professor of int…

1
15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control? 36:37

1M ago36:37

36:37

Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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154. Can Robots Get a Grip? 57:52

1M ago57:52

57:52

Ken Goldberg is at the forefront of robotics — which means he tries to teach machines to do things humans find trivial. SOURCES: Ken Goldberg, professor of industrial engineering and operations research at U.C. Berkeley. RESOURCES: "The Bitter Lesson," by Rich Sutton (UT Austin, 2019). R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots): A Fantastic Melodrama in Th…

1
627. Sludge, Part 1: The World Is Drowning in It 54:34

1M ago54:34

54:34

Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. Where does all this sludge come from — and how much is it costing us? (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Benjamin Handel, professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford Unive…

1
272: From Selling Phones Out of a Van to Leading a 9-Figure Empire | Brett Beveridge of T-ROC 1:13:10

1M ago1:13:10

1:13:10

Brett Beveridge is the President of The Revenue Optimization Companies. Brett is an entrepreneurial, results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience and success in the wireless and technology industries. He has hands-on success in start-ups, profit turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and fundraising and is the driving force behind…

1
85. Executive Recruiters 21:11

1M ago21:11

21:11

When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network. SOURCES: Julian Ha, partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles. Jane Stevenson, global vice chair of board and CEO services at Korn…

1
14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer? 24:12

1M ago24:12

24:12

Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally aired on August 16, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
Should America Be Run by … Trader Joe’s? (Update) 48:01

1M ago48:01

48:01

The quirky little grocery chain with California roots and German ownership has a lot to teach all of us about choice architecture, efficiency, frugality, collaboration, and team spirit. SOURCES: Kirk DesErmia, facilities manager in Seward, Alaska. Mark Gardiner, journalist and author. Sheena Iyengar, professor of business at Columbia Business Schoo…

1
84. Mall Cops 18:20

1M ago18:20

18:20

Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports. SOURCES: Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area. David Levenberg, owner of Center Security Services. RESOURCES: "Mall of America's security team will start using facial recognition software as part of safety plan," by Derek …

1
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People? 33:57

1M ago33:57

33:57

Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August 9, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
153. We’re Not Getting Sicker — We’re Overdiagnosed 1:03:45

2M ago1:03:45

1:03:45

Suzanne O'Sullivan is a neurologist who sees many patients with psychosomatic disorders. Their symptoms may be psychological in origin, but their pain is real and physical — and the way we practice medicine, she argues, is making those and other health problems worse. SOURCES: Suzanne O'Sullivan, neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis How O…

1
626. Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System 1:03:55

2M ago1:03:55

1:03:55

Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is willing to tell the truth — and it’s even worse than you think. SOURCES: Jessica Riedl, senior fellow in budget, tax, and economic policy at the Manhat…

1
83. Game Show Winnings 19:09

2M ago19:09

19:09

How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend. SOURCES: Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and author of "Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Televisi…

1
12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work? 32:57

2M ago32:57

32:57

Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
Reading Dostoevsky Behind Bars (Update) 49:22

2M ago49:22

49:22

Reginald Dwayne Betts spent more than eight years in prison. Today he's a Yale Law graduate, a MacArthur Fellow, and a poet. His nonprofit works to build libraries in prisons so that more incarcerated people can find hope. SOURCES: Reginald Dwayne Betts, founder and director of Freedom Reads, award-winning poet, and lawyer. RESOURCES: Doggerel: Poe…

1
625. The Biden Policy That Trump Hasn’t Touched 1:03:14

2M ago1:03:14

1:03:14

Lina Khan, the youngest F.T.C. chair in history, reset U.S. antitrust policy by thwarting mega-mergers and other monopolistic behavior. This earned her enemies in some places, and big fans in others — including the Trump administration. Stephen Dubner speaks with Khan about her tactics, her track record, and her future. SOURCES: Lina Khan, former c…

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