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Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer
Obesity
U.S. Housing Market
Henry Kissinger
U.S. Foreign Policy
Housing Affordability
Glp-1 Medications
Vietnam War
China Relations
Mortgage Rates
Millennial Homeownership
Glp-1 Drugs
Weight Loss
Behavioral Health
Healthcare Economics
Need For Chaos
Middle East
Cambodia
Yom Kippur War
Rental Market
Health Behavior Changes

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 weeklyEpisodes354Founded4 years ago
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Artwork for Plain English

Latest Episodes

The modern world swims in numbers: work metrics, fitness metrics, health metrics, social media metrics. Sometimes the quantification of life can make things better. But very often, I think they force us to play the games we can measure rather than th... more

The GLP-1 drug revolution has taken the medicine world by storm. I’ve done several episodes on the science of GLP-1s. But we’ve never done an episode like this before, where we talk to one of the most important people in charge of guiding the GLP-1 d... more

Donald Trump suffered a huge blow Friday when the Supreme Court struck down the centerpiece of his economic policy: his vast system of tariffs. So, what happens now? Harvard’s Jason Furman explains the implications for the U.S. economy, consumers, gl... more

In the mid-20th century, a group of media and communications scholars proposed that the shift from spoken to written language—from orality to literacy—transformed our politics, our media, our social relations, and even our sense of consciousness. Tod... more

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Recent Guests

David Ricks
CEO of Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly
Episode: The Future of GLP-1 Drugs and AI Medicine, With Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks
Jason Furman
Harvard economist and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama
Harvard University
Episode: The Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs. Now What?
Joe Weisenthal
Bloomberg writer and podcaster
Bloomberg
Episode: The Media Theory That Explains “99% of Everything”
Josh Tyrangiel
Writer and author at The Atlantic, covering technology and its impact
The Atlantic
Episode: "America Isn’t Ready for What AI Will Do to Jobs"
Jim VandeHei
Co-founder of Politico and Axios
Episode: The Meltdown at The Washington Post—and the Crisis in News
Kevin Hall
Former top nutrition researcher at the NIH
Episode: Plain English BEST OF: What’s the Matter With America’s Food?
Julia Belluz
Longtime nutrition and health journalist
Episode: Plain English BEST OF: What’s the Matter With America’s Food?
Sandra Weintraub
Scientist at Northwestern University focusing on memory and aging
Northwestern University
Episode: Plain English BEST OF: The Healthiest "Super-Agers" Have One Thing in Common, According to a 25-Year Study
John Burn-Murdoch
Financial Times writer and analyst focusing on trends in American personality traits
Financial Times
Episode: Plain English BEST OF: The Modern World Is Changing America’s Personality for the Worse

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 8k ratings
  • Great show

    Here’s a cliche, folks going on any form of content they don’t side with politically and just automatically giving it one star. Anyone who does this is ridiculous. This is a great show no matter where you sit politically. Even if you like Trump you should be able to listen to someone who doesn’t, because he has a lot of interesting things to say about everything else in the world. Keep up the great work Derek !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Uriah82
    United States25 days ago
  • Has gotten lazy

    Used to really like this podcast but feels like Derek never record anymore. Between the long time off to write his book and now two months of reruns, it’s just not a dependable pod.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    C0M0
    United Statesa month ago
  • So Brave!

    Looks like Thompson is joining an ABUNDANCE of right wing boot lickers on Bari Weiss’ CBS! Unmasking himself as the mole for the billionaire thieving class he has always been. Congratulations on coming clean, Derek!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    psullz
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great discussion

    Podcast Addict
    4
    JaneR
    a month ago
  • Don’t make your show T.V.

    Derek, please don’t turn your show into T.V.! Sometimes it’s worth being part of a remnant. You have the best podcast going. It does not need video

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Uriah82
    United States4 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 Media Theory That Explains “99% of Everything”
Q: How do you see the shift from the age of orality to the age of literacy?
This shift didn't happen overnight. It began with developments like the Greek alphabet and the printing press over hundreds of years, impacting rational thought and the way knowledge is transmitted.
The Media Theory That Explains “99% of Everything”
Q: What is your orality thesis?
I believe that human communication is becoming more oral, which refers to the conversation characteristics fundamentally differing from the written word.
The Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs. Now What?
Q: Do you think this raises or significantly changes the long term likelihood that tariffs remain in the revenue picture for the US?
The tariffs that are in effect on January 19th, 2029 will likely have momentum regardless of who the next president is, suggesting many will still remain.
The Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs. Now What?
Q: How would you summarize the effect that these Trump tariffs have had on the economy in the last year?
The tariffs likely took about half a point off of US economic growth and added a similar amount to the inflation rate.
The Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs. Now What?
Q: What kind of a mess are we looking at right now, given that these tariffs have collected $200 billion already at the border?
The Supreme Court did not resolve how refunds will be paid, creating uncertainty for companies that may want to recover this money.

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 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?

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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 Rewatchables
4. The Zach Lowe Show
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Plain English are there?

Plain English launched 4 years ago and published 354 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. David Ricks
2. Jason Furman
3. Joe Weisenthal
4. Josh Tyrangiel
5. Jim VandeHei
6. Kevin Hall
7. Julia Belluz
8. Sandra Weintraub

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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