Rephonic
Artwork for Critics at Large

Critics at Large | The New Yorker

The New Yorker
Netflix
Social Media
The New Yorker
Harry and Meghan
Criticism
Romantasy
Sesame Street
Gambling
Technology
Colson Whitehead
Hollywood
True Crime
Academy Awards
David Lynch
Sports Betting
Jane Austen
American Culture
Hayao Miyazaki
Oscar Politics
Dubai

Critics at Large is a weekly culture podcast from The New Yorker. Every Thursday, the staff writers Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss current obsessions, classic texts they’re revisiting with fresh eyes, and trends that are emerging across books, television, film, and more. The show runs the gamut of the arts and pop culture, with lively, surprising conversations about e... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes140Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Critics at Large

Latest Episodes

When it dropped in January of 1997, Camp Lo’s “Uptown Saturday Night” thrilled some listeners and confounded others. On the first in a series of Critics at Large interview episodes devoted to resurfacing beloved cult classics, Vinson Cunningham talks... more

Colson Whitehead’s ascent in the literary world has seemed, like much of what he does, impressively effortless. Though he’s best known for “The Underground Railroad” and “The Nickel Boys”—both of which were awarded Pulitzer Prizes—his œuvre also incl... more

The new game show “Nation’s Dumbest,” flips the classic “Jeopardy!” script on its head. The format: twelve famous-ish contestants are peppered with basic logic and trivia questions. The twist is that those who perform well are sent home, with the las... more

In its nearly three-thousand-year history, the Odyssey has undergone as many twists and turns as its protagonist does on his journey home to Ithaca. Its origins as oral poetry suggest countless revisions before it was even put into text—and many more... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Hanif Abdurraqib
Poet and writer focusing on music, art, and culture
Independent/The New Yorker contributor
Episode: Critics’ Cult Classics: Hanif Abdurraqib on Camp Lo’s “Uptown Saturday Night”
Julian Lucas
New Yorker staff writer, profiling Colson Whitehead
The New Yorker
Episode: The Irony and the Ecstasy of Colson Whitehead
Vinson Cunningham
Staff writer for The New Yorker and Critics at Large co-host
The New Yorker
Episode: From The Political Scene: The Politics of the Big Game
Naomi Fry
Staff writer for The New Yorker and Critics at Large co-host
The New Yorker
Episode: From The Political Scene: The Politics of the Big Game
Jason Adam Katzenstein
New Yorker cartoonist
The New Yorker
Episode: Why Earnestness is Everywhere
Michael Schulman
Oscars correspondent and The New Yorker staff writer
The New Yorker
Episode: The Hall of Fame—and of Shame—of Oscars Hosts
Louisa Thomas
The New Yorker sports critic
The New Yorker
Episode: Why Football Matters
Padma Lakshmi
Emmy-nominated producer, television host, food expert, and New York Times bestselling author
Host of Top Chef and America's Culinary Cup
Episode: Critics at Large Live: Padma Lakshmi’s Expansive Taste
Alex Barasch
Editorial advisor at The New Yorker and horror movie enthusiast
The New Yorker
Episode: Why Horror Still Haunts Us

Hosts

Naomi Fry
Co-host of Critics at Large; staff writer at The New Yorker with extensive culture coverage.
Vinson Cunningham
Host of Critics at Large; regular presence with cultural analysis and criticism.
Alexandra Schwartz
Co-host of Critics at Large; frequent contributor and critic.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2.1k ratings
  • Hey Critics!

    I love this podcast so much always entertaining

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PaulSEldn
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Erudite, informed & entertaining

    New favorite Pod - period. If you like the idea of a Salon discussion between 3 erudite & informed friends on a zeitgeist topic that then uses this as a nexus point to Culturally explore then slip into this Pod that will stimulate, cleanse & relax your mind like an aural warm bath. Listen & learn…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LordOfNewYork
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • My Thursdays are Now Complete

    Thank you thank you thank you to Vinson, Alex, & Naomi for helping me decompress before every weekend. I came to you as a recommendation from the Vibe Check podcast about a year ago. I recently flipped my life upside down, left a career in medicine, and moved across the country to go back to school. I’ve been steadily working my way through every CAL episode to remember what it means to be a full person. You give a new depth to authors, artists, and their work that make me see the larger world d... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HealthcareAnon
    United States2 months ago
  • Tone is off

    I want to like this podcast, but the forced tralalala cheer rubs me the wrong way every time I put it on. We’re nearly three years into a genocide, the country is embroiled in a disastrous war, ICE is kidnapping our neighbors. Not everything has to be about politics, but some things are about politics and some efforts to ignore the political moment give off the impression of comfortable people trying their hardest to keep up a conversation about the Met Gala and drown out the sound of a child be... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    asafoetida2026
    United States2 months ago
  • Musically absent podcast of BTS

    The BTS pod cast was really limited and missed the multi-age, cross cultural positive message and belonging of this music and movement. I think it is really poor taste that they did not treat them as musicians, situating it in a musicality discussion. Nor did they even know the members names. They are the kind of KMart interpretation from within a limited interpretation as juvenile pop from an American judgement lens. I think they’ve missed what it is entirely. Watch the reception in Mexico. Th... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Reba GG
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Pod has a strong, respectful dynamic among hosts, though some listeners desire more accessible tone for broader audiences.
Listeners value rigorous critique paired with engaging, natural dialogue.
Critics at Large consistently delivers sharp, context-rich culture analysis across media.
Episodes often spark thoughtful conversations about power, identity, and media narratives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Irony and the Ecstasy of Colson Whitehead
Q: How does Whitehead balance historical critique with narrative pleasure?
By prioritizing fiction and storytelling while embedding deep historical and social concerns, allowing readers to engage with heavy themes without losing the momentum and enjoyment of the read.
The Irony and the Ecstasy of Colson Whitehead
Q: What makes Colson Whitehead an especially interesting writer today?
The hosts emphasize his rare ability to fuse humor with moral seriousness, his kinetic storytelling that remains highly readable, and his knack for crossing genres while maintaining a rigorous engagement with history and race.
I Need a Critic: One-Hundredth-Episode Edition
Q: How should one choose a baby name?
Choose a name that you love and has a nice sound to it, without worrying about family pressure.
I Need a Critic: One-Hundredth-Episode Edition
Q: How do you manage reading in the age of distraction?
Put your phone in another room to avoid distractions while reading.
I Need a Critic: One-Hundredth-Episode Edition
Q: What book would you recommend for someone who doesn't read at all?
Many memoirs work well; I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally is a great choice.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Critics at Large

What is Critics at Large about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Critics at Large offers thoughtful culture critique from a trio of The New Yorker staff writers, covering a wide range of topics from fashion and film to literature and television. Episodes often juxtapose close-reading analysis with personal memory and contemporary context, producing nuanced takes on current obsessions, classic texts revisited, and trends shaping the cultural moment. Notable strengths include sharp, interdisciplinary conversations, a willingness to scrutinize media narratives, and a consistent habit of tracing how power, class, and identity surface across media, politics, and society. A standout is the balance between rigorous critique and accessible, conversational banter among three highly credentialed critics, which can... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Critics at Large?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Critics at Large. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Critics at Large and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Critics at Large get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Critics at Large, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Critics at Large?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Critics at Large, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Critics at Large have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Critics at Large has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Critics at Large?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Critics at Large:

1. The New Yorker Radio Hour
2. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
3. The Book Review
4. The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
5. The New Yorker: Fiction

How many episodes of Critics at Large are there?

Critics at Large launched 3 years ago and published 140 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Critics at Large?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Critics at Large?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Critics at Large from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Critics at Large?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Critics at Large. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Critics at Large?

Recent guests on Critics at Large include:

1. Hanif Abdurraqib
2. Julian Lucas
3. Vinson Cunningham
4. Naomi Fry
5. Jason Adam Katzenstein
6. Michael Schulman
7. Louisa Thomas
8. Padma Lakshmi

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days