Rephonic
Artwork for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

John Kiriakou & Alan Katz
CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
Espionage
Abu Zubaydah
Sofia
Al Qaeda
Saddam Hussein
Counterterrorism
Pakistan
Iraq
Bulgaria
Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Soviet Union
Loretto Prison
Torture
Bahrain
Prison
NSA
Whistleblowing
George H.W. Bush

Join ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou on a very personal deep dive into what makes a spy tick. One of the most famous spies in the whole world, John - a spy with a conscience - blew the whistle on the CIA's torture program after the war on terror and spent 23 months in federal prison for it. As John explains, no spy is ever an "ex-spy". Why is that so? Listen to the podcast and you'll understand why. more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes58Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

Latest Episodes

IN THIS EPISODE One of the most remarkable stories that no one knows - which is remarkable in itself - is the assassinatioin of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme on a Stockholm street on February 28, 1986. Palme's murder is to Sweden what JFK's is to... more

IN THIS EPISODE In the previous two Spy Academy episodes, we talked about liars and how to spot them. Now it's time to put all that knowledge to good use as we deep dive into interrogating a true psychopath, the former leader of Iraq Saddam Hussein. ... more

IN THIS EPISODE

SHOW NOTES

If you're enjoying Dead Drop, podcast, please check out the rest of Costard & Touchstone's family of podcasts. They cover everything from journalism to Chinese medicine to culture to self help. Your next great podcast ob... more

IN THIS EPISODE Welcome to John Kiriakou's Spy Academy! Whether chatting with someone informally or conducting a full-on interrogation, every spy needs to know whether or not the person they're talking to is being truthful with them. To get to the bo... more

Key Facts

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.

Julian Dorey Podcast
Julian Dorey PodcastJulian Dorey | Daylight Media

Recent Guests

John Nixon
Iraq leadership analyst/spy-interrogation expert, CIA veteran
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Episode: S3E5 How To Interrogate A Monster: Saddam Hussein
Jesselyn Radack
Whistleblower and lawyer, head of Whisper at exposefacts.org
Whistleblower and Source Protection Program at ExposeFacts
Episode: S3E2 The Whistleblower's Tiger Mom
Tom Drake
Former NSA executive and whistleblower
NSA
Episode: S2E18 Whistleblower's Roundtable with Tom Drake
Paul Wright
Founder, executive editor, and publisher of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News
Prison Legal News / Criminal Legal News
Episode: S2E13 The Crusader
Joey Casello
Former prison inmate and chef, later pizza restaurant owner
Former inmate at FCI Loretto; involved in prison cooking operations
Episode: S2E10 Food, Glorious Food!
Marty Gottesfeld
Activist connected to Anonymous, involved in CMU discussions
Unspecified in episode
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Adonis Reynolds
Donnie Reynolds Jr.'s son
Family of Donnie Reynolds
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Donald Ray Reynolds, Sr.
Donnie Reynolds Sr.
Reynolds family
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Janice Reynolds
Donnie Reynolds Sr.'s wife
Reynolds family
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex

Host

John Kiriakou
Former CIA officer who hosts and guides conversations, often sharing personal experiences and framing episodes around whistleblowing and national security.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 5.2k ratings
  • Can’t Turn This One Off

    The keeper of his family legacy-a true inspiring immigrant’s tale to spy tell-all Kiriakou’s expertise in foreign policy and spy-craft scratches an itch you didn’t know you had.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sdwpalmer
    United States14 days ago
  • Let me give you an example…

    John is funny. He tells some good jokes. Let me give you an example… Lol JK.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZackDerese
    United States20 days ago
  • Great story teller

    John has great stories and is a great story teller. IMO he shouldn’t have even been arrested and jailed. He is an actual patriot. He deserved better from the US government. We all deserve better from our government. Love my country hate my government holds true

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jfb2003
    United States20 days ago
  • Superb!

    Absolutely entertaining! Who doesn’t want to learn more about CIA training and the life of a spy? The delivery is captivating, intriguing, funny and I’m find myself binge listening. Thank you for continuing to share your story. A pardon will come! Keep creating!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alexis DePalmo
    United States23 days ago
  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    John Kiriakou is an American hero who had the balls to speak up for what’s right, serve time, and tell his story. There is not a better story teller to this day. Listen to every episode, read all his books, and check out his YouTube. Inspirational and a genuine great guy. The world loves you John, thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dylan.Buhl5
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners note audio production issues but remain drawn to the strong narrative quality and guest expertise.
Listeners praise the host's storytelling voice and in-depth insights into intelligence history and ethics.
Fans highlight the show's ability to make complex topics accessible and engaging.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#35
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#37
United States/History
Spotify
#47
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#42
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#48
United Kingdom/History
Spotify
#43
Australia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S3E2 The Whistleblower's Tiger Mom
Q: And can you please tell our listeners about your own Whistleblowing?
Jesselyn explains that whistleblowing often stems from a conscience-driven impulse to uphold legal and ethical standards, and she recounts how she ended up defending whistleblowers after initially challenging government overreach, highlighting the personal and professional costs involved.
S2E10 Food, Glorious Food!
Q: How did you know what to make and what to do if you were halfway through and you lacked ingredients?
The guest explains they always had supplies and access through a network, relying on a pipeline of real food and cannily using available ingredients to improvise meals.
S1E26 Did John Le Carre Invent The Modern Spy?
Q: May I ask both of you a question about that?
The guests discuss whether Le Carré's portrayal of spies and his character Smiley redefined the modern spy, highlighting the balance between realism and narrative craft as key to his influence.
S1E24 Moment Of Truth
Q: Have you seen waterboarding firsthand, and what was your experience?
Yes, I experienced waterboarding, found it to be a harrowing and inhumane process, and I later concluded it should not be used.
S1E24 Moment Of Truth
Q: So you did not go through the torture training, correct?
Correct, I did not go through the training and ultimately declined to participate in it.

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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

What is John Kiriakou's Dead Drop about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Tackling espionage, ethics, and accountability, this program frequently centers on whistleblowing, government surveillance, and the personal toll of undercover work. Listeners often praise vivid storytelling, hard-hitting interviews, and candid perspectives from a former CIA officer turned host, with occasional critiques aimed at production choices. Across episodes, topics extend from landmark whistleblower cases and legal battles to media dynamics and the realities of national security, making it compelling for those interested in intelligence, policy, and civil liberties.

Where can I find podcast stats for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop. 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does John Kiriakou's Dead Drop get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop, 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop, 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop have?

To see how many followers or subscribers John Kiriakou's Dead Drop 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

These podcasts share a similar audience with John Kiriakou's Dead Drop:

1. John Kiriakou's Briefing Room
2. Julian Dorey Podcast
3. DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
4. Dalton Fischer Podcast
5. The Joe Rogan Experience

How many episodes of John Kiriakou's Dead Drop are there?

John Kiriakou's Dead Drop launched a year ago and published 58 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of John Kiriakou's Dead Drop. 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 John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

Recent guests on John Kiriakou's Dead Drop include:

1. John Nixon
2. Jesselyn Radack
3. Tom Drake
4. Paul Wright
5. Joey Casello
6. Marty Gottesfeld
7. Adonis Reynolds
8. Donald Ray Reynolds, Sr.

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