Lovett Or Leave It

Trump takes a test. Cities push back against Trump's aggression. And Taylor releases a new album. What a week. Guy Branum joins for OK, Stop. Eric Holtaus talks about his new book, The Future Earth, imagining a best-case climate scenario. And Tanya Somanader, Mellani Johnson, and Sarah Lazarus take a few minutes to react to jokes with the perfect amount of judgment.

House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff discusses Roger Stone, congressional subpoenas, and veganism. Negin Farsad joins for the monologue and Michaela Watkins takes on the role of a lifetime. Plus Zeynep Tufekci joins to talk about what happens when science meets social media during this pandemic. Fix my computer, Henry Cavill.

A major set of rulings at the Supreme Court, a battle over reopening schools, and an announcement by Kanye in the best place for such things: a four hour interview with Forbes Magazine. Shea Serrano joins to talk about everything from the impact of protests on sports to the best James Bond movies. Josh Gondelman judges the monologue and has some lovely analogies. And Alice Wetterlund stops by along with a special guest with a tell-all book of her own. What a week.

Emily Heller returns for our July 4th episode and agrees NOT to discuss gardening. Hari Kondabolu joins to talk about Hollywood's response to mounting protests, from voice casting on the Simpsons to the defense of hacky stand up. Epidemiologist Dr. Anne W. Rimoin explains the latest on mounting cases of coronavirus and what happens next. And listeners test out their political jokes on Lovett and Emily.

Larry Wilmore is back and joins for the monologue. Ari Berman discusses efforts to fight voter suppression. We quiz a listener on polling from 2016 so no one gets cocky about 2020. And we share some moments from Crooked's pride parade live stream: Gay News with Tre'vell Anderson and Guy Branum, plus highlights from Sam Pancake, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Kara Swisher, Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, Rosemary Ketchum, Katie Hill, Sam Feder, and Justin Simien.

Nicole Byer is back and joins for the monologue. Adam Serwer discusses the Supreme Court's DACA decision, the diversity of the protest movement, and Juneteenth. Plus we quiz Philip Picardi on campy religious ceremonies and talk about his new podcast on spirituality. And we test organizers in six battleground states to see if they're ready for the fall. What a week. Even some... good news?... whatever that is.

Judd Apatow joins for the monologue. Melina Abdullah discusses the goals of the protest movement. Rosemary Ketchum stops by to talk about what it means to be the first trans person to win public office in West Virginia. And LGBTQ+ listeners join to rant about basically whatever. What a week.

Peaceful protests and police backlash spread across the country. Trump "inspects" a bunker and waves a bible. Osita Nwanevu joins to discuss our collective response. DeRay Mckesson discusses policy changes that can save lives right now. And we hear from protesters and listeners. Plus, ONE Lea Michele joke. One.

D'Arcy Carden joins to match listeners with battleground states. Nancy Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead discuss their book about new ways conspiracies spread and how to respond. And we're joined live by listeners in Birmingham to break down the week's news and quiz the audience on how characters are described in books versus how those characters are cast on screen.

Senator Elizabeth Warren is here to talk about oversight, the pandemic response, and that question she won’t answer. Plus she sticks around as we quiz listeners. Kal Penn is back and judges the monologue. And Jon Millstein joins to deliver a zoom commencement. We also bring back the rant wheel and we hear your high notes. What a week. What a show.

Trump floats a conspiracy without a theory. Supreme Court Justices struggle with microphones. And Elon Musk will build Teslas or else. This week in the closet, Adam Conover joins to judge the monologue, listeners share their minor frustrations, and Patrick Radden Keefe investigates a classic rock anthem that may have been written by the CIA. Oh and masks make you look weak? Tell it to Patrick Swayze in Point Break!

Author Michael Lewis explains why America is like a good team with a bad coach. Whitney Cummings joins to judge the monologue. Brittany Packnett Cunningham discusses Ahmaud Arbery and why it took a gruesome video to spur action. Listeners face off in a topical spelling bee. And finally we're joined by a surprise special guest before we share what made listeners hopeful in this week's high note. 

Ed Helms is back and we quiz him on Trump's briefings by the numbers. Olivia Nuzzi joins to discuss covering the coronavirus response. We test listeners on their disaster preparedness. And we try out jokes on unsuspecting strangers which was very exciting and went GREAT. We're still in the closet and we're making the best of it. What a week.

John Hodgman judges the monologue. Ronan Farrow and I face tough questions from Akilah Hughes. Katie Porter joins for an update from Congress. And we hear this week’s highs (and a few rants) from listeners. Packed show! A real barn burner. (Burning barns does NOT cure coronavirus.)

Bernie backs Biden and Trump blames the WHO. What a week. Megan Rapinoe (!) and psychologist Dr. Ali Mattu join Jon for another week of Lovett or Leave It: Back in the Closet. Plus we talk to our listener-teachers about what it's like to teach remotely and we hear your high notes. A big thank you to everybody in Portland who joined for the monologue. And please call Congress to safeguard our elections! We make it easy: votesaveamerica.com/call

Guy Branum, Emily Heller, and Dr. Joseph Meltzer of UCLA join to cover Bernie's withdrawal as Biden becomes the presumptive nominee, Emily's gardening tips, GAY NEWS, Trump's untested health advice, and the fight going on inside of our hospitals against coronavirus. It's Back in the Closet week five, and boy is my ring light tired.

Alex Wagner, Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, and Saru Jayaraman join for the fourth Back in the Closet episode. Plus we attempt a live audience with our friends in Seattle and Spokane (huge success!), and listeners share their weird new self-care rituals. Bag two of Hershey's nuggets: done.

Stephen Merchant, Kara Swisher, and Beck Bennett join for Lovett or Leave It: Back in the Closet. A big stimulus bill passes. Trump looks to goose the markets. Tech companies thrive as their workers take risks. And everyone realizes they don’t have enough forks.

Ronan Farrow stops by to take calls from couples working from home. And Adam Schiff calls in to give us an update on the congressional response to the virus and his struggles with veganism during impeachment. Plus, listeners call in with their own personal high notes and Ronan tells me why he doesn't consider Cheetos a staple food. Back in the Closet, Week 2. Hang in there, everybody.

Trump's chaotic, bumbling response to the coronavirus pandemic alarms the country. Local and state leaders (and Bernie and Biden) fill the void. And everyone figures out how to act responsibility to protect the community while panic shopping and googling symptoms. We've canceled our live shows to be safe, so until we're on the other side of this, we're going to be experimenting with some new segments and finding ways to quiz and hear from listeners during the show. It's Lovett or Leave It: Back in the Closet. Special thanks to Paul Scheer, Rachel Bonnetta, and Rachna Fruchbom for joining, and to the listeners who let me quiz them this week on their coronavirus prep.