Rephonic
Artwork for Things That Go Boom

Things That Go Boom

PRX
Feminist Foreign Policy
Feminism
Nuclear War
Sweden
Gender Equality
The War Horse
Mexico
Ukraine
Vietnam War
Military-Industrial Complex
Femicide
Cuban Missile Crisis
USS Pueblo
January 6th
Political Violence
Civil War Reenactments
January 6th Capitol Riot
Human Rights
Gaza
International Women's Day

Stories about the ins, outs, and whathaveyous of what keeps us safe. Hosted by Laicie Heeley.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes113Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Things That Go Boom

Latest Episodes

A few hours outside Bogotá, a giant yellow circus tent rises above the countryside. Inside, families laugh at clowns, gasp at acrobats, and cheer for trapeze artists soaring overhead.

The performers are all members of the Colombian military.

For mo... more

After a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, residents were told the air was safe and the situation was under control. But for many people living there, the emergency never really ended.

In this episode, ... more

Wars. Raids. Climate disasters. Political violence. Economic shocks. Surveillance. States of emergency that never seem to end. We live through them all while still trying to get dinner on the table, make rent, raise kids, and imagine a future.

This ... more

A quick note: Independent journalism like Things That Go Boom only exists because of listener support. And right now, Newsmatch is doubling all donations — making it a powerful moment to give. If you love our show (and we hope you do!) consider makin... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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.

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Recent Guests

Luis Javier Cardenas
Soldier, clown known as San Cochito
Circo Colombia (military circus)
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Jonathan Hernandez
Former circus soldier who taught himself English
Circo Colombia / military circus
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Olga Lucia Sorzano
Circus historian
Bogota, Colombia
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Rosa Elena González Moreno
Director of the Culture Ministry's Circus Arts Program
Colombian Culture Ministry
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Major Fernando Gómez
Military circus spokesperson
Colombian military
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Franci Guzmán
Participant at circus show
Family context
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Ana Pinzón
Mother of Franci Guzmán
Family
Episode: The Soldiers Who Became Clowns
Jess Conard
Founder and Executive Director of Rail Watch
Rail Watch
Episode: Safe Enough
Dr. Alberto López Pulido
Professor of ethnic studies at the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
Episode: Under the Bridge, Over the Line

Host

Laicie Heeley
Host of the show, focusing on national security, policy analysis, and investigative storytelling.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 429 ratings
  • Brilliant podcast about war, power, and profit

    Things That Go Boom is the best podcast I know about the military-industrial complex: smart, deeply reported, and incredibly good at explaining the machinery of war, greed, and political capture without ever becoming dry or jargon-heavy. Inkstick’s reporting is essential, and the podcast brings it to life through sharp interviews, great storytelling, and terrific hosting from Laicie Heeley.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    evmonk
    United States3 months ago
  • Boo

    Booo

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Do it for sigma robin
    United Statesa year ago
  • Divisive

    Used as a platform to promote social and racial justice, with strong political bias, particularly against former President Trump. Typical white, privileged, liberal woman. There’s nothing here for me.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Umm yeah no thx
    United Statesa year ago
  • CIA

    NATO lovers/spook suckers

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Hezballer$$$
    United Statesa year ago
  • Salut

    Je suis un chat 🐈‍⬛

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Good morning podcast
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Fans praise accessibility and storytelling that makes complex topics approachable.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous, deeply researched look at how defense spending shapes policy and society.
Some listeners feel the show is biased toward a political viewpoint and wish for a broader, less partisan lens.

Top News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
The Ben Shapiro Show
The Ben Shapiro ShowThe Daily Wire
The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
Candace
CandaceCandace Owens
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Safe Enough
Q: How does federal emergency funding actually get defined and allocated, and what problems does that cause for communities?
The discussion explains that emergency funding is often defined and moved quickly through mechanisms that can sidestep normal oversight, leading to gaps between on-the-ground needs and federal responses.
Safe Enough
Q: What happened on the ground in East Palestine and how did residents respond?
Residents describe sheltering in place, rapid evacuations, and ongoing health concerns, with many feeling the initial guidance did not fully capture the risks or long-term impacts.
Fika and Feminism: Part 2
Q: Well, I mean, haha. Sweden does no longer have a feminist foreign policy.
Sweden's change in NATO stance is connected to its former feminist policy efforts.
Fika and Feminism: Part 2
Q: Is a feminist foreign policy compatible with NATO membership?
Annick indicates that it could be, but currently, it is not.

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 Things That Go Boom

What is Things That Go Boom about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A journalistically rigorous show that untangles national security, defense spending, and the military-industrial complex through investigative reporting and expert interviews. Episodes cover labor activism around defense contracts, community impacts of military production, local politics influenced by defense spending, and the ethics of militarization in everyday life. Noteworthy is the show's ability to connect macro policy with local consequences, plus its accessible storytelling that makes complex topics engaging for educated, civically minded listeners who want deeper context beyond headlines. Potential sponsors or guests may find the host's principled, evidence-driven approach and willingness to challenge conventional narratives partic... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Things That Go Boom?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Things That Go Boom. 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 Things That Go Boom and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Things That Go Boom get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Things That Go Boom, 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 Things That Go Boom?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Things That Go Boom, 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 Things That Go Boom have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Things That Go Boom 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 Things That Go Boom?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Things That Go Boom:

1. Throughline
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. The Daily
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. The Gray Area with Sean Illing

How many episodes of Things That Go Boom are there?

Things That Go Boom launched 9 years ago and published 113 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 Things That Go Boom?

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 Things That Go Boom?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Things That Go Boom 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 Things That Go Boom?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Things That Go Boom. 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 Things That Go Boom?

Recent guests on Things That Go Boom include:

1. Luis Javier Cardenas
2. Jonathan Hernandez
3. Olga Lucia Sorzano
4. Rosa Elena González Moreno
5. Major Fernando Gómez
6. Franci Guzmán
7. Ana Pinzón
8. Jess Conard

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