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Stephen J. Dubner

Jason Kelce Hates to Lose

Pro footballer and star podcaster Jason Kelce is ubiquitous right now (almost as ubiquitous as his brother and co-host Travis, who’s been in the limelight for his relationship with Taylor Swift). After you hear this wide-ranging interview, you might want even more Kelce in your life.

11/19/23
62:05

You Asked, We Answer

Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner answers your questions about how the show is made, what he’s looking forward to, and what he talks about at parties.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

11/17/23
28:20

Season 13, Episode 12

Everyone makes mistakes. How do you learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

11/16/23
50:30

Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy?

They say they make companies more efficient through savvy management. Critics say they bend the rules to enrich themselves at the expense of consumers and employees. Can they both be right? (Probably not.)

11/15/23
58:32

Detroit’s Failed Olympic Dream

Why did the Motor City never get to host the Olympic Games — and is it time for the International Olympic Committee to reconsider? A special postscript to the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

11/10/23
27:28

Season 13, Episode 11

Giving up can be painful. That’s why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

11/9/23
50:30

How Much Does Discrimination Hurt the Economy? (Replay)

Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrimination is incredibly costly — to the victims, of course, but also the perpetrators. One modern solution is to invoke a diversity mandate. But new research shows that’s not necessarily the answer.

11/8/23
62:47

The Museum of Failure

The psychologist Samuel West was sick of stories about success, so he founded a museum dedicated to failure. We discuss how he did it, what he hopes visitors will learn, and his favorite pieces from the collection.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

11/3/23
44:37

Season 13, Episode 10

In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

11/2/23
50:30

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 4: Extreme Resiliency

Everyone makes mistakes. How do you learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.

11/1/23
51:41

A Quest for the Perfect Bowl of Ramen

Travis Thul invented a so-called Keurig for ramen, but he failed to bring it to store shelves. We talk to him about innovation, risk, the thrill of starting a business, and the heartbreak of pulling the plug.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

10/27/23
53:58

Season 13, Episode 9

We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can this pattern be reversed? We try — with stories about wildfires, school shootings, and love.

10/26/23
50:30

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 3: Grit vs. Quit

Giving up can be painful. That’s why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

10/25/23
69:31

The Edison of Medicine

Bob Langer is one of the world’s most prominent biotech researchers. He helped make mRNA vaccines a reality. How much failure did he have to go through first?

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

10/20/23
54:02

Season 13, Episode 8

Claudia Goldin is the newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. We spoke with her in 2016 about why women earn so much less than men — and how it’s not all explained by discrimination.

10/19/23
50:30

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death

In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. Part of the series “How to Succeed at Failing.”

10/18/23
59:40

The Only Person That Tracks Every U.S. School Shooting

Researcher David Riedman argues that every school shooting is the culmination of a long chain of failures. Could his database be the key to stopping them?

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

10/13/23
58:26

Season 13, Episode 7

John Ray is an emergency C.E.O., a bankruptcy expert who takes over companies that have succumbed to failure or fraud. He’s currently cleaning up the mess left by alleged crypto scammer Sam Bankman-Fried. And he loves it.

10/12/23
50:30

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of Events

We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can this pattern be reversed? We try — with stories about wildfires, school shootings, and love.

10/11/23
61:07

A New Nobel Laureate Explains the Gender Pay Gap (Replay)

Claudia Goldin is the newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. We spoke with her in 2016 about why women earn so much less than men — and how it’s not all explained by discrimination.

10/9/23
49:58

Did Three Benin Bronzes Just Turn Up in a Store in Alabama?

After we published our series on art repatriation, a Freakonomics Radio listener made what seemed like an incredible find in Scottsboro’s Unclaimed Baggage store. We put an art historian on the case.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

10/6/23
21:16

Season 13, Episode 6

If two parents can run a family, why shouldn’t two executives run a company? We dig into the research and hear firsthand stories of both triumph and disaster. Also: lessons from computer programmers, Simon and Garfunkel, and bears versus alligators.

10/5/23
50:30

Is This “The Worst Job in Corporate America” — or Maybe the Best?

John Ray is an emergency C.E.O., a bankruptcy expert who takes over companies that have succumbed to failure or fraud. He’s currently cleaning up the mess left by alleged crypto scammer Sam Bankman-Fried. And he loves it.

10/4/23
46:35

Running a Company — and a Family — Together

Dave and Sophie Smallwood cofounded Roleshare to spread the gospel of job-sharing. In this special episode for Freakonomics Radio Plus members, they talk to Stephen Dubner about being a couple both in and out of the workplace.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

9/29/23
17:18

Season 13, Episode 5

U.S. marriage rates have plummeted. But the babies keep coming, and the U.S. now leads the world in single-parent households. In her new book The Two-Parent Privilege, the economist Melissa Kearney says this is a huge problem, and that it’s time for liberals to face the facts. Plus: our friends at Atlas Obscura explore just how many parents a kid can have.

9/28/23
50:30

Are Two C.E.O.s Better Than One?

If two parents can run a family, why shouldn’t two executives run a company? We dig into the research and hear firsthand stories of both triumph and disaster. Also: lessons from computer programmers, Simon and Garfunkel, and bears versus alligators.

9/27/23
56:50

Untangling the Shifty Deals That Pad Pharma Prices

Employers hire consultants to help them get a good deal on prescription-drug benefits — but many of those consultants have a nasty conflict of interest. Stephen Dubner talks to the health care reporter who exposed the double-dealing, in a special episode only for Freakonomics Radio Plus members.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

9/24/23
25:42

The Facts Are In: Two Parents Are Better Than One

In her new book The Two-Parent Privilege, the economist Melissa Kearney says it’s time for liberals to face the facts: U.S. marriage rates have plummeted but the babies keep coming, and the U.S. now leads the world in single-parent households. Plus: our friends at Atlas Obscura explore just how many parents a kid can have.

9/21/23
68:38

The Facts Are In: Two Parents Are Better Than One

In her new book The Two-Parent Privilege, the economist Melissa Kearney says it’s time for liberals to face the facts: U.S. marriage rates have plummeted but the babies keep coming, and the U.S. now leads the world in single-parent households. Plus: our friends at Atlas Obscura explore just how many parents a kid can have.

9/20/23
68:38

How Does It Feel to Lose the Super Bowl to Your Brother?

In the first special episode for Freakonomics Radio Plus members, Stephen Dubner goes long with Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on sibling rivalry, head injuries, and why his team upgraded its swimming pool.

To get Plus episodes, you can sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here.

9/20/23
39:50

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