Rephonic
Artwork for Plain English

Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer
Artificial Intelligence
Mental Health
Donald Trump
Obesity
Glp-1 Drugs
Social Media
Economy
China
2024 Election
Inflation
Housing Market
Social Isolation
Tariffs
Alzheimer's Disease
Education
Kamala Harris
United States
Covid-19 Pandemic
Educational Policy
Interest Rates

Longtime 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

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes372Founded4 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Freedom is one of the few ideas everyone agrees on. Surely more choice and autonomy is a good thing, right? But what if our endless pursuit of freedom is actually making us more anxious, less creative, and holding us back from reaching our full poten... more

For nearly a decade, critics have predicted that this would be the moment Trumpism finally fractures - January 6, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, endless internal feuds, even Trump’s online beef with Pope Leo. And yet the movement endures. Derek is j... more

Hollywood is in the middle of a triple crisis. You can measure it in tickets, jobs, and ideas.

Start with tickets. The best year for the movie business this century was 2002, when Americans and Canadians bought 1.6 billion tickets, or about five per... more

Two weeks ago, Anthropic announced an AI model so capable and so dangerous that it decided not to release it to the public.

The model, codenamed Mythos, could autonomously infiltrate computer systems around the world, exploit security vulnerabilitie... more

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The Press BoxThe Ringer
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Recent Guests

Sean Fennessey
Host of The Big Picture, author of Projections
The Ringer
Episode: The Triple Crisis That’s Breaking Hollywood—and Changing the Future of Movies
Nat Bullard
Singapore-based energy analyst
Episode: The Whole World Is Fighting About Energy
Rogé Karma
Staff writer at The Atlantic who covers economics
The Atlantic
Episode: ‘The Job Market for Young People Is Brutal’
Ryan Burge
Author of Graphs About Religion and substack writer
Graphs About Religion / Substack
Episode: America's Religious Revival Is a Mirage
Alex Turnbull
Financial analyst and writer
Employ America
Episode: Is China the Winner of the Iran War?
Jack Clark
Co-founder of Anthropic, AI researcher
Anthropic
Episode: Anthropic Thinks AI Might Destroy the Economy. It's Building It Anyway.
Gabriel Zucman
Economist and expert on inequality and wealth taxes
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: America's Tax System Is Broken
McKay Coppins
Staff writer at The Atlantic, author of Sucker, My Year as a Degenerate Gambler
The Atlantic
Episode: The Casino-ification of America
Nir Eyal
Bestselling author of Beyond Belief, researcher on how beliefs shape behavior
Author, Beyond Belief
Episode: The Pill That Works Even When You Know It's Fake

Host

Derek Thompson
Host of the show, known for his insightful commentary on current events and his ability to simplify complex topics for a general audience.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 8.1k ratings
  • .

    Covers all perspectives other than strawmanning conservatives.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    PleaseRead!!!
    United States24 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 Podcasts
    1
    Murphy Johnson
    United Statesa month 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 Podcasts
    4
    DylanMWong
    United States2 months 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 Podcasts
    5
    vonclausewitz
    Canada2 months 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 Podcasts
    1
    Smalls99
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

There are mixed feelings regarding the podcast's direction, with some loyal fans expressing concern over perceived political biases or content shifts.
Overall, the podcast is well-regarded for its thought-provoking content and ability to foster healthy debate and discussion.
Listeners appreciate the in-depth analysis and clarity on complex subjects, often noting the quality of guests and engaging discussions.
Many highlight the podcast's approach in making challenging topics accessible and relatable to a broader audience.

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 Triple Crisis That’s Breaking Hollywood—and Changing the Future of Movies
Q: What should we expect next for Hollywood's evolution, especially around video games and non-traditional IP?
Sean suggests that video games will become central to blockbuster strategy, with studios leaning into familiar-but-new concepts, while also experimenting with original storytelling within big IP ecosystems.
The Triple Crisis That’s Breaking Hollywood—and Changing the Future of Movies
Q: Sean, how's Hollywood doing these days?
Sean describes a crisis driven by consolidation, post-COVID recovery challenges, and a shift in what entertainment conglomerates value, paired with a nuanced view of audience desires and the evolving role of IP.
Why We're Addicted to ‘Sh*tty Flow’
Q: How do you reconcile the importance of outcomes with the idea that excellence is a craft and not just a top result?
Outcomes matter and have real consequences, but excellence should be anchored in values and ongoing practice rather than chasing peak moments; you should strive and aim high while recognizing that fulfillment comes from the process, not just the top outcome.
Why We're Addicted to ‘Sh*tty Flow’
Q: As I'm thinking about the relationship between pseudo excellence and alienation, what audience do you have in mind for this approach?
The primary audience includes young men who feel profoundly alone and are drawn to highly performative routines; there's also a broader pattern where people become attracted to the 'grift' and parasocial relationships with influencers who promise easy success.
‘The Job Market for Young People Is Brutal’
Q: How do demographics and aging influence opportunities for young workers?
Aging of the population slows the turnover of middle-management positions, compresses the rate at which new jobs open up, and can push peak earnings and career progression further into adulthood, reducing entry-level opportunities and widening the gap with older workers.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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 Ezra Klein Show
4. The Rewatchables
5. The Zach Lowe Show

How many episodes of Plain English are there?

Plain English launched 4 years ago and published 372 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. Sean Fennessey
2. Nat Bullard
3. Rogé Karma
4. Ryan Burge
5. Alex Turnbull
6. Jack Clark
7. Gabriel Zucman
8. McKay Coppins

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.

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