The Daily

A Cease-Fire in Iran

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 09:50:38 +0000

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

The United States and Iran announced a two-week cease-fire last night, shortly before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to unblock the Strait of Hormuz or to potentially see its “whole civilization” destroyed.

David E. Sanger, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, explains what led to this last-minute deal and what it will take to make it stick.

Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Mr. Trump found his offramp with Iran, but the causes of the war remain unresolved.
Here is the latest on the Middle East.

Photo: Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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A Daring Rescue Behind Enemy Lines

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 09:45:15 +0000

Over the weekend, the U.S. military pulled off a risky mission to save an injured airman whose fighter jet had been shot down in Iran.

Eric Schmitt, who covers national security for The New York Times, explains how Washington pulled it off.

Guest: Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times based in Washington.

Background reading:

Inside the harrowing race against time to find the U.S. airman in Iran.
Analysis: Iran’s downing of a plane and the U.S. rescue leave both sides dangerously emboldened.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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Trump’s Lonely War

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 09:45:00 +0000

As the war in Iran drags on, President Trump keeps signaling that it is about to end. But the fighting shows no signs of letting up. All the while, America’s closest allies in Europe continue to refuse Mr. Trump’s demands for help.

Mark Landler, who covers trans-Atlantic relations for The New York Times, explains why European countries want no part in this war.

Guest: Mark Landler, the Paris bureau chief of The New York Times, who covers France, as well as trans-Atlantic relations and the future of Europe.

Background reading:

Mr. Trump has lashed out at Europe for its lukewarm support against Iran.
Analysis: As American and Israeli warplanes bomb Iran, European allies have been left on the sidelines.

Photo: Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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She Risked Her Voice to Become a Mother

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Lise Davidsen is one of the greatest opera singers of our time — a soprano with a voice so rare, critics reach back a century for comparison. This spring, she has been starring in a sold-out new production of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” at the Metropolitan Opera. But she’s also at a crossroads: Her first performance as “Isolde” on the Met stage came just nine months after giving birth to twins.

Today on The Sunday Daily, Natalie Kitroeff talks with the Times writer Zachary Woolfe about his recent conversation with Davidsen, and the unexpected emotional weight she felt while returning to the stage as a new mother. They discuss how a production centered on birth, death and renewal gave Davidsen a way to work through this seismic shift in her life, all while tackling the role of a lifetime.

On Today’s Episode:

Zachary Woolfe is a writer and editor for The New York Times.

Background Reading:

With Twin Babies, the Opera Star Lise Davidsen Wonders What Comes Next

The Met Opera’s Desperate Hunt for Money

Photo credit: Amir Hamja for The New York Times

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'The Opinions': General Stanley McChrystal on Iran

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sat, 4 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Did President Trump fall for the myth of surgical warfare? Gen. Stanley McChrystal joins the columnist David French, both veterans of the Iraq War, to discuss what may have been overlooked in the planning of Operation Epic Fury. McChrystal, who retired from the Army in 2010, argues that the United States often overestimates the decisive power of aerial bombing while underestimating the weight of historical grievance. And the general weighs in on the current culture of bravado coming from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

This conversation was recorded on Friday, March 20.

Thoughts? Questions? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur and Victoria Chamberlin. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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Our Enduring Fascination With the Kennedys

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

“Love Story,” the FX limited series about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s relationship, has taken audiences by storm. Its unstoppable wave of ’90s nostalgia has swept through the world of fashion, revitalized iconic New York landmarks and set off a yearning for simpler days before smartphones and dating apps. The series has also drawn significant backlash, with criticism ranging from bad reviews to accusations of inaccuracy and even harm.

Today, Rachel Abrams talks to Alexandra Jacobs, a critic for The New York Times Book Review, about why America can’t seem to look away from “Love Story.”

On Today’s Episode:

Alexandra Jacobs, a critic for The New York Times Book Review and occasional features writer.

Background Reading:

The Lasting Appeal of John F. Kennedy Jr.

Daryl Hannah: How Can ‘Love Story’ Get Away With This?

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Injections, Bone Hammering and the Pursuit of Peak Male Beauty

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you’ve probably come across a video of a young, square-jawed influencer calling himself Clavicular. He has become the face of an internet subculture called looksmaxxing, in which men do almost anything — like taking steroids and hormones or bashing their jaws with a hammer — to try to become more handsome.

In this episode, Natalie Kitroeff talks with reporter Joseph Bernstein about the world of looksmaxxing and how what might seem like a fringe phenomenon is actually the culmination of a digital culture that rewards physical perfection with status and algorithmic power.

On Today’s Episode

Joseph Bernstein covers digital subcultures for the Styles desk at The New York Times.

Background Reading

Handsome at Any Cost

Young Men Seek Answers to an Age-Old Question: How to Be Hot

The Suffix That Tells Us to Ruthlessly Optimize Everything

Photo Credit: Cassidy Araiza for The New York Times

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To Save His Life, Our Food Critic Reset His Appetite

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

For 12 years, Pete Wells had his dream job: working as the chief restaurant critic for The New York Times. The job’s journalistic mission required Wells to eat out most nights and taste nearly everything on any given restaurant’s menu. He didn’t realize it at the time, but the excessive eating had taken a toll on his body.

Then came a health crisis, followed by his doctor’s advice to “stop doing what you’re doing right now.”

In 2024, Wells gave up his post as restaurant critic and set out to remake his entire relationship with food.

On today’s episode, Michael Barbaro speaks with Wells about the realities of life as a restaurant critic, and what he’s learning about the joys of home cooking, mindful eating and grocery shopping for the diet he intends to follow.

On Today’s Episode:

Pete Wells is a reporter covering food for The New York Times. He was formerly The Times’s restaurant critic.

Background Reading:

After 12 Years of Reviewing Restaurants, I’m Leaving the Table

Our Former Restaurant Critic Changed His Eating Habits. You Can, Too.

To Eat Healthier, Our Critic Went to the Source: His Kitchen

To Tune Out Food Noise, Our Critic Listened to His Hunger

To Improve How He Ate, Our Critic Looked at What He Drank

Photo Credit: Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

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Oscars 2026: Who Will Win, and Who Should Win?

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 8 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Today on “The Sunday Daily,” The Times’s chief movie critic, Manohla Dargis, talks with the “Daily” host Michael Barbaro about this year’s batch of Oscar nominees, which — according to her — are uncommonly good.

They discuss the performances that Dargis believes deserve to win, the dark horses that might pull off upsets, and the ambitious films that give her hope for Hollywood’s future.

On Today’s Episode:

Manohla Dargis, Chief Film Critic for The New York Times.

Background Reading:

‘Hamnet’ | Anatomy of a Scene

Delroy Lindo on ‘Sinners,’ Speaking Up and the Power of Affirmation

Photo: A24; Warner Bros. Pictures; Sabrina Lantos/Sony Pictures Classics

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Is the Swipe Era Over?

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In 2012, Tinder revolutionized dating apps with its swipe feature. With the flick of a finger, singles could accept or reject a potential mate. While this innovation has worked for many, some have grown weary of the simple swipe, and long for a more nuanced way to find love.

Today on “The Sunday Daily,” Rachel Abrams examines two dating tends on the rise: in-person mixers that are far from old-fashioned, and emerging A.I. technology that promises singles a ‘soul’ match. Rachel speaks with The New York Times’s dating columnist Gina Cherelus; Luke Vander Ploeg, a producer on the “Daily”; and Amanda Hess, a writer at large at The Times.

On Today’s Episode

Gina Cherelus covers dating for The New York Times.

Luke Vander Ploeg is a producer on The Daily.

Amanda Hess is a writer at large for The Times.

Photo: Mila De La Torre for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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Boos, Rivalries and Records: Inside the 2026 Olympics

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” the host Rachel Abrams is joined by her New York Times colleagues Motoko Rich, Shawna Richer and Juliet Macur, who are all covering this year’s Olympic Games. They discuss how the geopolitical climate may or may not be influencing the competition, and talk about some of the extraordinary athletes who are pushing the limits of physical achievements.

On Today’s Episode

Motoko Rich is the Rome bureau chief for The New York Times.

Juliet Macur is a national reporter covering sports for The New York Times.

Shawna Richer is an editor at The New York Times, working on coverage of sports in America.

Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Images: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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Bad Bunny Takes Over America

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 1 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

At the Grammy Awards tonight, the Puerto Rican pop sensation Bad Bunny is the first Spanish-language artist to be nominated for album, record and song of the year simultaneously. For most artists, this would be the high point of their year, if not their career. For Bad Bunny, this is just an appetizer for what’s in store for him next week.

Next Sunday, he will headline the Super Bowl halftime show. His performance comes in the middle of a nationwide crackdown on immigration — an issue he’s been vocal about — and follows a backlash against the N.F.L. for booking him in the first place.

Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli, the hosts of The Times’s pop music show “Popcast,” discuss Bad Bunny’s rise to the heights of pop stardom, and explore what it means for a Puerto Rican artist to headline the world’s biggest stage.

On Today’s Episode:

Jon Caramanica is a pop music critic at The New York Times and a co-host of “Popcast.”

Joe Coscarelli is a culture reporter for The New York Times who focuses on popular music and a co-host of “Popcast.”

Background Reading:

Grammys 2026: Who Should Win the Biggest Awards

Bad Bunny Talks Coming Back Home on His ‘Most Puerto Rican’ Album Yet

Get to Know Bad Bunny in 9 Songs

Photo: Mario Anzuoni for Reuters.

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We Underestimated the Neanderthal

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Pop culture has not been kind to the Neanderthal. In books, movies and even TV commercials, the species is portrayed as rough and mindless, a brutish type that was rightly supplanted by our Homo sapiens ancestors.

But even 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals walked the earth, we continue to make discoveries that challenge that portrayal. New research suggests Neanderthals might have been less primitive — and a lot more like modern humans — than we might have thought.

The Times science reporters Carl Zimmer and Franz Lidz discuss recent discoveries about Neanderthals, and what those discoveries can tell us about the origins of humanity.

On Today’s Episode:

Carl Zimmer writes the Origins column and covers news about science for The Times.

Franz Lidz writes about archaeology for The Times.

Background Reading:

The Year in Neanderthals

Morning Person? You Might Have Neanderthal Genes to Thank.

What Makes Your Brain Different From a Neanderthal’s?

The Neanderthal Inside Us

Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

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Hollywood’s A.I. Moment

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

There’s a lot of anxiety about artificial intelligence invading Hollywood; the general mood there right now could be called “doom and gloom.” But speculation about a future where A.I. actors perform A.I. scripts in A.I.-generated movies often obscures the role A.I. is currently playing in the industry.

In this episode, the host Michael Barbaro talks with the Hollywood reporter Brooks Barnes and the movie critic Alissa Wilkinson about the ways that A.I. is already showing up in our movies and television today, and how they see it contributing to — and complicating — the future.

On Today’s Episode:

Alissa Wilkinson is a Times movie critic.

Brooks Barnes is the chief Hollywood correspondent for The Times.

Background Reading:

Can You Believe the Documentary You’re Watching?

Disney Agrees to Bring Its Characters to OpenAI’s Sora Videos

‘The Wizard of Oz’ Is Getting an A.I. Glow-Up. Cue the Pitchforks.

Is ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Sphere the Future of Cinema? Or the End of It?

Photo: Roger Kisby for The New York Times

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Sunday Special: The Best Movies of 2025

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture.

This week, on our final episode of the podcast, we’re talking about movies. The potential acquisition of Warner Brothers by Netflix has dominated entertainment news in recent weeks, but the year in movies has been about a lot more than corporate mergers. Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic for The New York Times, and Nicole Sperling, a culture reporter based in Los Angeles, join Gilbert Cruz to talk about what really matters: the movies we loved this year.

Movies discussed in this episode include:

“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”
“A Minecraft Movie”
“Superman”
“Weapons”
“Wicked: For Good”
“Zootopia 2”
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“Marty Supreme”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“The Testament of Ann Lee”
“Come and See Me In the Good Light”
“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning”

On Today’s Episode:

Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times.

Nicole Sperling is a reporter covering Hollywood for The Times.

Background Reading:

Netflix vs. Paramount: Inside the Epic Battle Over Warner Brothers

The 25 Most Notable Movies of 2025

Best Movies of 2025

Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures; 20th Century Studios; Disney

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Sunday Special: The Best TV of 2025

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In these final weeks of 2025, The Sunday Special is looking back at the year in culture.

Today, we’re talking about the TV we watched this year — the best shows, the most popular ones and the ones that allowed us to just enjoyably veg out. Gilbert Cruz talks with the TV critic James Poniewozik and the culture reporter Alexis Soloski about the year in television.

TV shows discussed in this episode:

“Severance”

“Common Side Effects”

“Too Much”

“Nobody Wants This”

“Dying for Sex”

“The Hunting Wives”

“The White Lotus”

“Dr. Odyssey”

“Long Story Short”

“Heated Rivalry”

“Andor”

“The Lowdown”

“Platonic”

“Pluribus”

“The Pitt”

“Adolescence”

On Today’s Episode:

James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The New York Times.

Alexis Soloski is a culture reporter for The Times.

Background Reading:

Best TV Shows of 2025

The Best TV Episodes of 2025

Photo Credit: Apple TV+; Netflix; Lucasfilm/Disney+; HBO

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Sunday Special: The Best Music of 2025

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture.

This week, we’re listening to the songs and albums that defined the year, for better or worse. Gilbert Cruz is joined by Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz from The Times’s pop music desk to discuss some of the biggest and best releases of 2025.

Albums and songs mentioned in this episode:

Bad Bunny, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”

Lady Gaga, “Mayhem”

Justin Bieber, “Daisies”

Chappell Roan, “The Giver” and “The Subway”

Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”

Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal”

Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl”

Morgan Wallen, “I’m the Problem”

Ghost, “Skeletá”

Dijon, “Baby”

Geese, “Getting Killed”

Water From Your Eyes, “It’s a Beautiful Place”

PinkPantheress, “Fancy That”

Lily Allen, “Tennis”

Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”

Sleigh Bells, “Bunky Becky Birthday Boy”

Hayley Williams, “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party”

Turnstile, “Never Enough”

On Today’s Episode

Caryn Ganz is the pop music editor at The Times.

Lindsay Zoladz is a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of The Amplifier newsletter.

Additional Reading

Best Albums of 2025

Best Songs of 2025

Photo Illustration by The New York Times; From left, Angela Weiss/AFP — Getty Images (Lady Gaga); OK McCausland for The New York Times (Geese); Erika Santelices/Reuters (Bad Bunny); Helle Arensbak/AFP -- Getty Images, via Ritzau Scanpix (PinkPantheress)

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Sunday Special: ’Tis the Season for Cookies

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The first week of December at The New York Times is known as “Cookie Week.” Every day, for seven days, our cooking team highlights a new holiday cookie recipe. This year’s batch features flavors that aren’t necessarily traditional holiday ones — or even, for that matter, flavors. Instead, they draw inspiration from family night at the movies, drinks like Vietnamese Coffee, and perhaps most surprisingly, an Italian deli meat.

In this edition of the Sunday Special, Gilbert Cruz talks with Melissa Clark and Vaughn Vreeland from New York Times Cooking about this year’s cookies, and they answer questions from readers about how to navigate cooking and baking during the holidays.

Background Reading:

These 7 Cookies Will Be the Life of Every Party

Melissa Clark is a food reporter and columnist for The Times.

Vaughn Vreeland is a supervising video producer for NYT Cooking and writes the “Bake Time” newsletter.

Audio produced by Tina Antolini and Alex Barron with Kate LoPresti. Edited by Wendy Dorr. Engineered by Rowan Niemisto. Original music by Daniel Powell and Diane Wong.

Photo credit: Rachel Vanni for The New York Times.

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Sunday Special: Gifting Books for the Holidays

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The holiday season is here, which means it’s the time to think of great gifts for everyone on your list. While it can feel like a daunting task to choose thoughtful, personalized presents, we’ve got a fix for you: books.

On this edition of The Sunday Special, Gilbert is joined by Joumana Khatib and Sadie Stein, editors at the Book Review, for a conversation about the best books to give your family and friends. Joumana and Sadie will share what excited them most this year and also provide recommendations for giftees in very specific categories.

Books mentioned in this episode:

“The Colony,” Annika Norlin
“Perfection,” Vincenzo Latronico
“Things: A Story of the 60s,” Georges Perec
“The Bee Sting,” Paul Murray
“The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” Kiran Desai
“The Director,” Daniel Kehlmann
“Playworld: A Novel,” Adam Ross
“A Marriage at Sea,” Sophie Elmhirst
“Entertaining is Fun!,” Dorothy Draper
“The Thursday Murder Club,” Richard Osman
“The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels,” Janice Hallett
“Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes,” Roald Dahl
“Mrs. Manders’ Cook Book,” Sarah Manders, edited by Rumer Godden
“Halleluja! The Welcome Table,” Maya Angelou
“The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life,” Pat Conroy
“Les diners de Gala,” Salvador Dalí
“Diaghilev’s Empire: How the Ballets Russes Enthralled the World,” Rupert Christiansen
“Finishing the Hat and Look I Made a Hat,” Stephen Sondheim
“Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run,” Peter Ames Carlin
“The Uncool: A Memoir,” Cameron Crowe
“The Gales of November,” John U. Bacon
“The Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Cats in Color,” Stevie Smith
“Archie and the Strict Baptists,” John Betjeman
“Stories 1,2,3,4,” Eugène Ionesco
“Trip: A Novel,” Amy Barrodale

On Today’s Episode:

Joumana Khatib is an editor at The New York Times Book Review.

Sadie Stein is an editor at The New York Times Book Review.

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Sunday Special: Wicked, Good?

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

“Wicked” was one of the biggest movies of 2024. It was culturally ubiquitous, a box office smash and an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Now, a year later, “Wicked: For Good” arrives in theaters to finish the tale of the complicated friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Can “Wicked: For Good” be the sensation that its predecessor was? Will it inject new life into a movie business that has suffered a historically bad business year? Will it satisfy the legions of “Wicked” fans who have been waiting to see their favorite musical brought to the big screen?

Gilbert Cruz is joined by Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter for The New York Times who profiled the stars of “Wicked,” and Madison Malone Kircher, a reporter for the Styles desk and affirmed “Wicked” fanatic, to discuss what “Wicked: For Good” means for the movies.

On Today’s Episode

Madison Malone Kircher is a reporter covering internet culture for The Times.

Kyle Buchanan is a pop culture reporter and serves as The Projectionist, the awards season columnist for The New York Times.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Additional Reading

Ariana Grande Still Has Surprises in Store

There Have Been Dozens of “Wicked” Interviews. Why Did This One Go Viral?

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Sunday Special: A Sea of Streaming Docs

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

There was once a time when documentaries could be found only on public television or in art-house cinemas. But today, documentaries are more popular and accessible than ever, with streaming services serving up true crime, celebrity documentaries, music documentaries and so much more.

On today’s Sunday Special, Gilbert is joined by The New York Times’s chief television critic, James Poniewozik, and Alissa Wilkinson, a Times film critic, to talk about the documentaries that are worth your viewing time.

On Today’s Episode:

James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The Times.

Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times, and writes the Documentary Lens column.

Background Reading:

What ‘The American Revolution’ Says About Our Cultural Battles

‘Come See Me in the Good Light’: The Sweetness After a Terminal Diagnosis

Discussed on this episode:

“The American Revolution,” 2025, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt

“The Alabama Solution,” 2025, directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman

“The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst,” 2015, directed by Andrew Jarecki

“Making a Murderer,” 2015, directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos

“The Yogurt Shop Murders,” 2025, directed by Margaret Brown

“The Perfect Neighbor,” 2025, directed by Beet Gandbhir

“The Last Dance,” 2020, directed by Jason Hehir

“Copa 71,” 2023, directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erkine

“Cheer,” 2020, created by Greg Whiteley

“Last Chance U,” 2016, directed by Greg Whiteley, Adam Ridley and Luke Lorentzen

“Pee-wee as Himself,” 2025, directed by Matt Wolf

“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” 2024, directed by Benjamin Ree

“Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” 2025, directed by Questlove

“Cameraperson,” 2016, directed by Kirsten Johnson

“An American Family,” 1973, created by Craig Gilbert

“Look Into My Eyes,” 2024, directed by Lana Wilson

“When We Were Kings,” 1996, directed by Leon Gast

Photo: Mike Doyle/American Revolution Film Project and Florentine Films

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Sunday Special: The Year in Gaming

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 2 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

This year has been a banner year for video games, with an abundance of surprise releases and unexpected hits.

On this week’s Sunday Special, Gilbert Cruz talks with two fellow gamers — Zachary Small, a culture reporter, and Jason Bailey, an editor on The Times’s culture desk — about the state of the industry, the biggest releases and the games they loved playing in 2025. They also share their predictions for Game of the Year.

On Today’s Episode

Zachary Small is a culture reporter for The Times.

Jason M. Bailey is an editor on the culture desk, and oversees The Times’s video game coverage.

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Sunday Special: The 10 Best Horror Movie Franchises

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The only thing Gilbert Cruz loves more than celebrating Halloween is watching scary movies. And between the classic horror franchises that span decades and the prestige original films of the current moment, he has seen hundreds of them.

On today’s episode, Gilbert puts his knowledge to use in conversation with his fellow horror aficionados Jason Zinoman and Erik Piepenburg. They comb through a century of spooks, frights and screams to crown the Top 10 franchises in cinema history.

Horror franchises discussed on this episode:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
“A Quiet Place”
“Alien”
“The Amityville Horror”
“Candyman”
“Child’s Play”
“The Conjuring”
“The Exorcist”
“The Evil Dead”
“Final Destination”
“Friday the 13th”
“Halloween”
The Hannibal Lecter films
“Hellraiser”
“The Hills Have Eyes”
“Insidious”
“Jaws”
“Night of the Living Dead”
“The Omen”
“Paranormal Activity”
“Phantasm”
“Poltergeist”
“Psycho”
“The Purge”
“The Ring”
“Saw”
“Scream”
“Terrifier”
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”
The Universal monster films
“V/H/S”

On Today’s Episode:

Jason Zinoman is a critic at large for The Times and the author of “Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror.”

Erik Piepenburg covers culture for The Times, and writes a monthly column about horror movies.

Additional Reading:

25 Jump Scares That Still Make Us Jump

Five Horror Movies to Stream Now

‘Good Boy’ Review: Sit. Stay. Scream.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Sunday Special: Springsteen, Dylan and the Art of the Biopic

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

On Friday, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” will be released in theaters. Rather than chronicling Bruce’s entire life, the film focuses on the making of his stripped-down 1982 album “Nebraska” and on his concurrent mental health struggles.

This movie is the latest in a long history of musician biopics featuring stars like Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Eminem and Elvis Presley. Hollywood clearly loves telling the stories of influential artists.

In this episode, Gilbert Cruz chats with Lindsay Zoladz, a pop music critic for The Times, and Joe Coscarelli, a Times culture reporter, about the tropes of the genre and their favorite films that break the mold.

On Today’s Episode:

Lindsay Zoladz, a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of The Amplifier newsletter.

Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter at The Times and co-host of “Popcast.”

Additional Reading:

The Boss Finally Gets a Biopic, Just Not the One We Expected

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

Why Music Movies Stink: ‘Back to Black’ + ‘The Idea of You’ Reactions

Joe Coscarelli’s “Bobby + Joanie” playlist

Photo: 20th Century Studios

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Sunday Special: Bringing Broadway Home

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Broadway represents some of the best and most exciting of what American theater has to offer. But for many people, it’s inaccessible. Whether because of geography, cost or other considerations, most people will never sit in a Broadway theater and experience a play or a musical in person.

For years, cast recordings have offered a way to experience Broadway shows at a remove. And now, in the streaming era, some Broadway shows are making themselves available to be watched remotely, in movie theaters and on television. Distance and expense aren’t the impediments they once were to culture lovers looking to experience world-class theater.

In this episode, Gilbert Cruz talks with Jesse Green and Elisabeth Vincentelli, two of The New York Times’s culture writers, about new ways to experience some of the joys of theater from the comfort of your own home.

On Today’s Episode:

Jesse Green is a Culture correspondent, focusing primarily on the fine arts, including theater, classical music and art.

Elisabeth Vincentelli writes about culture for The Times.

Background Reading:

Want to Listen to Musical Cast Albums? Our Top 10 Desert Island Picks

Theater to Stream: Mark Rylance in ‘Twelfth Night,’ and More

Times Theater Fans on Their Favorite Musical Cast Albums

Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Inset: Disney+

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Sunday Special: The Enduring Power of Amusement Parks

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 5 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Amusement parks are enduring vacation destinations for American families. The rides, the long lines for rides, the concessions, the long lines for concessions — these are practically familial rites of passage. Theme parks are also enormous moneymakers, with industry leaders such as Disney and Universal earning billions of dollars each year from their parks.

In this episode, Gilbert Cruz chats with Brooks Barnes, who writes about show business (including theme parks), and Mekado Murphy, a film editor and thrill-seeker who reports on roller coasters. They talk about the state of the contemporary amusement park and the ups and downs of roller coasters around the world.

On Today’s Episode:

Mekado Murphy is the assistant film editor for The New York Times, and its unofficial roller coaster correspondent.

Brooks Barnes covers Hollywood for The New York Times.

Background Reading:

Riding Your Way Through Epic Universe

See the Real Live Man Who Grew Up in a Carnival

Photo: Business Wire/Associated Press

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Sunday Special: The Fashion Episode

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This month kicked off the big four fashion weeks: New York, London, Milan and Paris. Each year, designers, brands, influencers and celebrities flock to these events to see and be seen.

On today’s episode, Gilbert sits down with Stella Bugbee and Jacob Gallagher, two of The Times’s foremost style experts and veterans of the fashion week circuit, to discuss clothes. They talk about what fashion week means in the frenetic fashion ecosystem of 2025, and they answer some listener questions about how to cultivate a personal style.

On Today’s Episode:

Stella Bugbee, the Styles editor for The New York Times.

Jacob Gallagher, a fashion reporter for The New York Times.

Background Reading:

Armani’s Influence on New York Fashion Week

Photo: Simbarashe Cha

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Sunday Special: What Makes a Restaurant Great?

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This month, The Times released a list of the 50 best restaurants in America. The Food desk’s reporters, critics and editors crisscrossed the country from Portland, Ore., to Deer Isle, Maine, to scout places formal and casual, big and small, experimental and classic. Their survey is an evocation of what it’s like to dine out, right now, in America.

On today’s episode, Gilbert sits down with the Food reporters Priya Krishna and Brett Anderson, two contributors to the list, for a veritable feast of dining wisdom. They discuss what makes a restaurant worthy of the 50 best list, how they go about finding those restaurants, and the dining trends they’re loving and hating in 2025.

On Today’s Episode:

Priya Krishna, reporter and video host for New York Times Food and Cooking

Brett Anderson, reporter for New York Times Food and Cooking

Background Reading:

America’s Best Restaurants 2025

Photo: Chase Castor for The New York Times

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Sunday Special: TV's Big Night

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is tonight, honoring the best television shows released between June 2024 and May 2025. But before the festivities begin, Gilbert Cruz, the editor of The New York Times Book Review, would like to have a TV celebration of his own.

On today’s episode, he gathers Jason Zinoman, a critic at large for The Times, and Alexis Soloski, a culture reporter for The Times, to “channel surf” through some of their favorite shows of the past year.

On Today’s Episode:

Jason Zinoman, a critic at large for The New York Times who writes a column about comedy.

Alexis Soloski, a culture reporter for The New York Times.

Additional Reading:

The 9 People Who Check In to Every ‘White Lotus’

Sympathy for the Devil, er Boss: In ‘The Studio,’ the Powerful Are on Defense

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Sunday Special: The Books We Read in School

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 7 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

As kids across America head back to school, Gilbert Cruz, the editor of The New York Times Book Review, is thinking about the books he read when he was in school.

On today’s Sunday Special, Gilbert talks with the Book Review editor Sadie Stein and the author Louis Sachar (“Wayside School” series, “Holes”) about the books they read when they were students, and ways to encourage young readers today to keep reading.

Additional reading

10 Books for Kids Starting Preschool

12 Books for Kids Starting Kindergarten

15 Books for Kids Starting Middle School

For a future Sunday Special, ask us your personal style questions.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle, via Getty Images

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Sunday Special: This Summer in Culture

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Sunday Special, running now through the end of the year. Every Sunday, Gilbert Cruz, the editor of The New York Times Book Review, will talk with a rotating cast of Times critics and culture and lifestyle reporters about “the fun stuff”— pop culture, movies, TV, music, fashion and more.

On today’s inaugural episode, Gilbert sits down with Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic at The Times, and Madison Malone Kircher, an internet reporter at The Times, to recap their cultural highs and lows of this summer.

Photo: Stephane Mahe / Reuters

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The New Co-Hosts of 'The Daily'

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Tue, 3 Jun 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Rachel Abrams and Natalie Kitroeff officially join Michael Barbaro as co-hosts of the show. Welcome to the next chapter.

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The Sunday Read: ‘This Is the Holocaust Story I Said I Wouldn’t Write’

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 4 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

When Taffy Brodesser-Akner became a writer, Mr. Lindenblatt, the father of one of her oldest friends, began asking to tell his story of survival during the Holocaust in one of the magazines or newspapers she wrote for. He took pride in telling his story, in making sure he fulfilled what he felt was the obligation of all Holocaust survivors, which was to remind the world what had happened to the Jews.

His daughter Ilana knew it was a long shot but felt obligated to pass on the request — it was her father, after all. Taffy declined because after a life hearing about the Holocaust, she said, she was “all Holocausted out.”

But, years later, when she learned of Mr. Lindenblatt’s imminent passing, Taffy asked herself what would become of stories like his if the generation of hers that was supposed to inherit them had taken the privilege that came with another generation’s survival and decided not to listen?

So here it is, an old Jewish story about the Holocaust and a man who somehow survived the pernicious, organized and intentional genocide of the Jews. But right behind it, just two generations later, is another story, one about the children and grandchildren who have been so malformed by the stories that are their lineage that some of them made just as eager work of running from it, only to find themselves, same as anything you run from, having to deal with it anyway.

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The Sunday Read: ‘What I Found on the 365-Mile Trail of a Lost Folk Hero’

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Sometime in the 1850s or ’60s, at a terrible moment in U.S. history, a strange man seemed to sprout, out of nowhere, into the rocky landscape between New York City and Hartford, Conn. The word “strange” hardly captures his strangeness. He was rough and hairy, and he wandered around on back roads, sleeping in caves. Above all, he refused to explain himself. As one newspaper put it: “He is a mystery, and a very greasy and ill-odored one.” Other papers referred to him as “the animal” or (just throwing up their hands) “this uncouth and unkempt ‘What is it?’”

But the strangest thing about the stranger was his suit.

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The Eclipse Chaser

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Mon, 8 Apr 2024 09:45:00 +0000

Today, millions of Americans will have the opportunity to see a rare total solar eclipse.

Fred Espenak, a retired astrophysicist known as Mr. Eclipse, was so blown away by an eclipse he saw as a teenager that he dedicated his life to traveling the world and seeing as many as he could.

Mr. Espenak discusses the eclipses that have punctuated and defined the most important moments in his life, and explains why these celestial phenomena are such a wonder to experience.

Guest: Fred Espenak, a.k.a. “Mr. Eclipse,” a former NASA astrophysicist and lifelong eclipse chaser.

Background reading:

A total solar eclipse is coming. Here’s what you need to know.
Millions of people making plans to be in the path of the solar eclipse on Monday know it will be awe-inspiring. What is that feeling?
The eclipse that ended a war and shook the gods forever.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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It Sucks to Be 33

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:45:00 +0000

Jeanna Smialek, who covers the U.S. economy for The Times, will be 33 in a few weeks; she is part of a cohort born in 1990 and 1991 that makes up the peak of America’s population.

At every life stage, that microgeneration has stretched a system that was often too small to accommodate it, leaving its members — so-called peak millennials — with outsize economic power but also a fight to get ahead.

Guest: Jeanna Smialek, a U.S. economy correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

When millennials gripe that they get blamed for everything, the accusers might actually be onto something.
Millennials have the children, but boomers have the houses.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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The Sunday Read: ‘Ghosts on the Glacier’

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 7 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Fifty years ago, eight Americans set off for South America to climb Aconcagua, one of the world’s mightiest mountains. Things quickly went wrong. Two climbers died. Their bodies were left behind.

Here is what was certain: A woman from Denver, maybe the most accomplished climber in the group, had last been seen alive on the glacier. A man from Texas, part of the recent Apollo missions to the moon, lay frozen nearby.

There were contradictory statements from survivors and a hasty departure. There was a judge who demanded an investigation into possible foul play. There were three years of summit-scratching searches to find and retrieve the bodies.

Now, decades later, a camera belonging to one of the deceased climbers has emerged from a receding glacier near the summit and one of mountaineering’s most enduring mysteries has been given air and light.

This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

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The Sunday Read: ‘It Was Just a Kayaking Trip. Until It Upended Our Lives.’

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 8 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000

It was meant to mark the start of their lives out of college, but the adventure quickly turned into a nightmare. Beginning with what seemed to be a lucky whale sighting, three friends set out on a sea-kayaking trip through Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska, watching out for bears, and having a good time, when tragedy struck.

In recounting the days preceding and following the accident, which seriously injured one of his friends, the Times journalist Jon Mooallem explains how he was forced to reckon with his fears. Detailing the incident’s surprising repercussions, he muses on the importance of overcoming one’s fears, and finding poetry in life’s darkest moments.

This story was written by Jon Mooallem. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

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The Sunday Read: ‘Who Is the Bad Art Friend?’

thedaily@nytimes.com (The New York Times) — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 10:00:00 +0000

On June 24, 2015, Dawn Dorland, an essayist and aspiring novelist, did perhaps the kindest, most consequential thing she might ever do in her life. She donated one of her kidneys — and elected to do it in a slightly unusual and particularly altruistic way. As a so-called nondirected donation, her kidney was not meant for anyone in particular, but for a recipient who may otherwise have no other living donor.

Several weeks before the surgery, Ms. Dorland decided to share her truth with others. She started a private Facebook group, inviting family and friends, including some fellow writers from GrubStreet, the Boston writing center where she had spent many years learning her craft.

After her surgery, she posted something to her group: a heartfelt letter she’d written to the final recipient of the surgical chain, whoever they may be. Ms. Dorland noticed some people she’d invited into the group hadn’t seemed to react to any of her posts. On July 20, she wrote an email to one of them: a writer named Sonya Larson.

A year later, Ms. Dorland learned that Ms. Larson had written a story about a woman who received a kidney. Ms. Larson told Ms. Dorland that it was “partially inspired” by how her imagination took off after learning of Ms. Dorland’s donation.

Art often draws inspiration from life — but what happens when it’s your life?

This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

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