Plain English with Derek Thompson
The RingerLongtime Atlantic tech, culture and political writer Derek Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter to you in his new podcast Plain English. Watch Derek and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and if you've got a topic you want discussed, shoot us an email at plainenglis... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 367 | Founded | 4 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsNews Commentary | |||
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Latest Episodes
Something weird is going on with the elevated unemployment rate for young people today, but no one knows what exactly it is.
For the last year, as the unemployment rate for recent college graduates has crept up ominously, one of the questions I’ve r... more
Perhaps you’ve heard the news: The U.S. is experiencing a religious revival, and it’s concentrated among young people, who are flocking back to the fold. The Economist announced that “the West has stopped losing its religion.” The Washington Post dec... more
The 1970s oil crisis changed the world in ways that many people forget today, from the transformation of American politics to the rise of the Japanese electronics industry. The Iran war of 2026 could have similarly global consequences, from the rise ... more
One of the themes we’ve circled in the last few weeks is the way that the modern world can hijack our values. This principle was recently articulated by the philosopher C. Thi Nguyen in an episode called "How Metrics Make Us Miserable." Thi told us t... more
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Covers all perspectives other than strawmanning conservatives.
Apple Podcasts2PleaseRead!!!
United States4 days ago - Chemical Weapons - No Pushback
Mr abundance corners someone with a wonderful analogy that AI is like Nuclear weapons. Whoops. Doesn’t follow up despite the weird guy answering literally and that we also have implications for chemical weapons???!! Ouch. Big J Journalist card revoked sorry Derrick.. your book sucked but I can blame that on Ezra easily but the podcast/ home court? Yow!!
Apple Podcasts1Murphy JohnsonUnited States14 days ago - Good but rambling
This podcast is very informative and I enjoy listening to Derek but I feel the format can be a bit rambling where the conversation continues long after the expected conclusion and then cuts without an outro. I don’t think I will keep this podcast in my weekly rotation because it takes more mental energy to listen to as I go about my day than similar shows.
Apple Podcasts4DylanMWongUnited Statesa month ago - American Democracy as we know it…
I really found most of Dean Ball’s arguments circular and empty. Essentially, things will be different because things will be different… an example of current right wing intelligentsia.
Apple Podcasts5vonclausewitz
Canadaa month ago - Uninformed host, Uninformed guests, uninsightful commentary
The topic of discussion interested me which led to me listening, but honestly it had very little to no value. The host is poorly informed, but very opinionated about topics. The guest honestly didn’t have much insight or real original or novel thoughts. The discussion was surface level and lacked any interesting context or insight. Ignorant biases were pervasive in the discussion and frankly colored the entirety of the podcast. Should have known better given that it is produced under the ringer ... more
Apple Podcasts1Smalls99United Statesa month ago
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #188 | United States/Top Podcasts |
Spotify | #33 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #13 | United States/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #58 | United States/News |
Apple Podcasts | #9 | Canada/News/News Commentary |
Apple Podcasts | #24 |  United Kingdom/News/News Commentary |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Plain English
What is Plain English about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This podcast engages with a diverse range of relevant topics spanning technology, culture, politics, and public health. With a focus on making complex subjects accessible, it often features discussions about current affairs, societal changes, and scientific advancements, all presented through a lens of clear analysis and thoughtful dialogue. Notably, the host frequently invites experts from various fields, ranging from economics to neuroscience, driving discussions that engage both the intellect and the public's curiosity. The ability to tackle hard-hitting questions while maintaining a conversational tone sets it apart, making it appealing for listeners who appreciate depth without the jargon.
Where can I find podcast stats for Plain English?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Plain English. 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 Plain English and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Plain English get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Plain English, 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 Plain English?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Plain English, 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 Plain English have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Plain English 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 Plain English?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Plain English:
1. The Bill Simmons Podcast
2. The Press Box
3. The Zach Lowe Show
4. The Rewatchables
5. The Ezra Klein Show
How many episodes of Plain English are there?
Plain English launched 4 years ago and published 367 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 Plain English?
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 Plain English?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Plain English 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 Plain English?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Plain English. 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 Plain English?
Recent guests on Plain English include:
1. Ryan Burge
2. Alex Turnbull
3. Jack Clark
4. Gabriel Zucman
5. McKay Coppins
6. Nir Eyal
7. Rachel Ziemba
8. Dean Ball
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.