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The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

Defector Media
NFL
Major League Baseball
NBA Playoffs
Defector
WNBA
College Football
The Simpsons
Gambling
Sports Illustrated
NCAA Tournament
Olympics
NBA
Thanksgiving
New York Knicks
NFL Draft
Private Equity
Donald Trump
Sports
Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl

Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listen... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes301Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

Latest Episodes

Justin Halpern (writer/producer, Abbott Elementary, Sh*t My Dad Says) has a new book, Get Lost, and he here’s to talk about how he wrote it with Drew and Roth. But first, Roth and Justin must commiserate about the Mets, and Drew gets recognized on th... more

Drew has finally vanquished Roth, so fellow Defectors Diana Moskovitz and Dave McKenna are on the show! First, World Cup – who’s rooting for who? Are either of them for it coming ‘ome to England? How expensive are these tickets exactly?! Then, they o... more

It’s summer vacation season, and that means a classic Drew and Roth solo episode. Many digressions ensue, then they open up the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners, like: what’s the wildest thing they’ve done while intoxicated? and wh... more

Kelsey is here! Drew is not! Alex Sujong Laughlin is also here to discuss the new season of Try Hard, the first episode of which just came out last week. Alex has written some really good and really scathing stuff about the scourge of The Video Podca... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Giri Nathan
Resident Knicks fan and Defector staff writer
Defector
Episode: The Provenance of the Lobster with Giri Nathan
Leander Schaerlaeckens
Soccer columnist for The Guardian US; author of The Long Game
The Guardian US
Episode: Don’t Tell Anyone How I Live with Leander Schaerlaeckens
David Grann
Acclaimed writer, author of The Wager and Killers of the Flower Moon
The New Yorker? (mentioned as author
Episode: A Larry David Look-a-like with David Grann
Ian Livengood
New York Times Puzzle Editor, Times Games Department; edits Pips
New York Times
Episode: You Can’t Zarf Someone in Pips with Ian Livengood
Patrick Redford
Defector colleague, host of Nothing But Respect and Only If You Get Caught
Defector
Episode: Look at What They Done Been Through with Patrick Redford
Lily Kaplan
Licensed therapist and writer of Reality Test newsletter
Reality Test (newsletter)
Episode: Introducing: No Such Thing
AJ Jacobs
Journalist and author
Mental Floss contributor (historical essays)
Episode: Introducing: No Such Thing
Lauren Theisen
Defector Chief Hockey Officer; hockey analyst and writer
Defector
Episode: Shodders For The Cup with Lauren Theisen
Aaron Schatz
godfather of analytics for NFL prospects and founder/lead at FTN Fantasy
FTN
Episode: My Car Died In Worcester with Aaron Schatz

Hosts

Drew Magary
Host of The Distraction on Defector; Defector writer
David Roth
Co-host of The Distraction; Defector staff writer

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.1k ratings
  • Early Women’s Basketball

    My grandma always says that she hated the early rules and wanted to play like the boys played.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mickloser
    United States4 months ago
  • I miss sports lunacy

    I haven’t listened to this in a while, then I saw Spencer Hall was going to be on. Cool! Then These self righteous clowns spent the whole time talking over him, not cool! Zzzzz

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    stinky lefty
    United States4 months ago
  • Love the show!

    Roth is the absolute best! Someone needs to stage an intervention for Drew to get him to stop spreading his horrendous Vikings inspired nonsense that has infiltrated an otherwise stellar podcast. Love that Mina Kimes and Roth called him out for this in the latest episode.

    Aside from that, keep up the amazing work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    :The Dude Abides:
    United States10 months ago
  • no one better

    Love the show, smart, funny, great guests, I should probably start paying for this.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nick the ....
    United Statesa year ago
  • Hmm

    I could frankly do without the theme song and Drew’s traditional show-opening catchphrase. Aside from those niggling complaints, it’s a delight.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CM21218
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests and banter are repeatedly highlighted as a strength.
Fans praise chemistry between hosts and high-energy episodes.
Some listeners want fewer interruptions from production or sponsor reads.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#176
United States/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#202
Poland/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Larry David Look-a-like with David Grann
Q: Is there any relatively harmless action an ordinary person can take that is as universally vilified as stealing a foul ball from a child?
Grann frames character as revealed in small, everyday moments and acknowledges that stealing a foul ball is clearly evil and petty, reflecting poorly on the perpetrator rather than the moment itself.
You Can’t Zarf Someone in Pips with Ian Livengood
Q: How often do colorblind readers email you to complain about tiles?
Ian explains that while specific emails to him are unlikely, the team actively considers different solving colors and accessibility features like dark mode, light mode, and background colors to accommodate a wide range of solvers.
You Can’t Zarf Someone in Pips with Ian Livengood
Q: Tell me what the fun bag is.
The hosts explain that the 'fun bag' is a recurring reader-submitted set of quirky questions, used to add light, playful segments between the main discussion; Ian responds with humor and practical thoughts on how outside-the-box questions can reveal personality and keep the episode lively.
Look at What They Done Been Through with Patrick Redford
Q: Oh last thing before we go, Patrick. Where do you think Giannis Antetokounmpo will end up, and where should he end up?
Patrick suggests a Warriors or Rockets scenario as a maximalist fit, with a practical note that Giannis can thrive with ball-handling and playmaking partners; a Rockets destination is framed as a potential fit given the need for ball handling and dynamic offense, though he also notes the Warriors option as a more favorable, championship-oriented pairing if health cooperates.
My Car Died In Worcester with Aaron Schatz
Q: Paul's question about color commentators' focus on pitch selection and pitch count, is that limiting the color commentary?
Aaron Schatz suggests it varies by commentator, with some being informative and others hampered by attitude or outdated perspectives; overall, analytics can illuminate but you still need engaging storytelling from color roles.

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 The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

What is The Distraction: A Defector Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A bold, humorous take on sports culture with sharp banter between two veteran writers, often featuring a rotating cast of guests from sports media, analytics, and storytelling. Episodes blend tactical sports discussion (basketball, football, and analytics), pop culture riffs, personal anecdotes, and candid sponsorship bits. A standout aspect is the chemistry between hosts and a willingness to chase wide-ranging tangents, from the economics of NIL to the craft of sports journalism, all delivered with irreverent wit. This show tends to attract listeners who enjoy provocative takes, inside-baseball sports analysis, and playful debate about the culture surrounding sports, media, and fandom.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Distraction: A Defector Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Distraction: A Defector Podcast:

1. Nothing But Respect
2. Shutdown Fullcast
3. Guys: With Bryan Quinby
4. Phantom Island
5. What's All This Then with Charlotte McDonnell and Libby Watson

How many episodes of The Distraction: A Defector Podcast are there?

The Distraction: A Defector Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 301 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Distraction: A Defector Podcast?

Recent guests on The Distraction: A Defector Podcast include:

1. Giri Nathan
2. Leander Schaerlaeckens
3. David Grann
4. Ian Livengood
5. Patrick Redford
6. Lily Kaplan
7. AJ Jacobs
8. Lauren Theisen

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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