Rephonic
Artwork for Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

MS NOW, Chris Hayes
Donald Trump
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Democratic Party
Project 2025
Trump Administration
Democracy
Inflation Reduction Act
Social Media
Kamala Harris
Israel
Electric Vehicles
Republican Party
Joe Biden
MSNBC
United States
Covid-19
Politics
Immigration Policy
Public Opinion

Every week Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night. How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this (all) happening? This podcast starts to answer these questions. Writers, experts, and thinkers who are also trying to get to the bottom of them join Chris to break it all down and help him get a better night’s rest.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes465Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Latest Episodes

There’s so many scandals in this era. And one of the biggest ones has to do with highly controversial brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate who have built massive followings online as right wing anti-feminist, misogynistic and pro-patriarchal influencers.... more

Well, we just wrapped our special 8-part miniseries “The AI End Game,” and we’re back to regular new episodes of WITHpod. There’s a lot to discuss since the start of the miniseries a few weeks ago. Alex Wagner is an MS NOW senior political analyst an... more

Scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: consciousness is a unique feeling. And at the same time, one of the world’s most confounding and complex questions remains: what exactly is this feeling? Is it awareness? Is it thoughts? Feelings? Mich... more

There’s a lot to unpack about the economic effects of artificial intelligence. It’s clear that artificial intelligence is having a moment (to say the least) and that it has a profound impact on global GDP. But is it just a boom that will bust? Ed Zit... 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.

All In with Chris Hayes
All In with Chris HayesMS NOW, Chris Hayes
The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow ShowRachel Maddow, MS NOW
Main Justice
Main JusticeMS NOW, Andrew Weissmann, Mary McCord
Deadline: White House
Deadline: White HouseNicolle Wallace, MS NOW

Recent Guests

Ed Zitron
Host of the Better Offline Podcast and writer of the Where's Your Ed At newsletter on Ghost
Independent writer and commentator on AI and tech
Episode: The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron
David Chalmers
Philosopher, cognitive scientist, author; professor at NYU
New York University
Episode: The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? with David Chalmers
Timnit Gebru
Founder and Executive Director of the Distributed AI Research Institute (DARE Institute)
Distributed AI Research Institute (DARE Institute)
Episode: The AI End Game: The Ethics of AI with Timnit Gebru
Alison Gopnik
Distinguished professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy at UC Berkeley; cognitive scientist
UC Berkeley
Episode: The AI End Game: Two-Year-Olds vs. AI with Alison Gopnik
Ethan Mollick
Professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; AI researcher focusing on education, entrepreneurship and work
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Episode: The AI End Game: How Work is Changing with Ethan Mollick
Derek Thompson
Author and journalist; co-author of Abundance; Atlantic contributor; Substack writer
The Atlantic / Abundance author / Plain English Podcast host
Episode: The AI End Game: Who’s Leading the Way? with Derek Thompson
Molly Crabapple
Author, artist, journalist
Author of Here Where We Live is Our Country
Episode: 'Here Where We Live is Our Country' with Molly Crabapple
Catherine Wilde
Former president and CEO of the Pro Business Partnership for New York City
Pro Business Partnership for New York City
Episode: All In America with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Morris Pearl
Chairman of the board at Patriotic Millionaires
Patriotic Millionaires
Episode: All In America with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Host

Chris Hayes
Host of Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 10.5k ratings
  • Sounds AI generated.

    Awful and created using ai

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nathan C UK
    United Kingdom7 days ago
  • A favorite podcast

    This AI series has been so helpful. My instincts about all aspects of AI are validated. “From Boom to Bust” reveals how the industry is eating its own tail. Thank you, Chris, for helping unpack the confusion and hype. I always enjoy your podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    UberTrailseeker
    United States19 days ago
  • First year law associates at law firms

    Important to note that Big Law is a sort of pyramid scheme in which the bottom layer of young associates MAKE the bulk of the profit that is funneled up to partners. If they were somehow replaced by AI agents, clients would have a level of cost transparency that would destroy that system. Maybe the billing model could change but there is no way to make it as profitable for partners at the top, so huge disincentive to change.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    djsentimental
    United States21 days ago
  • AI series is phenomenal

    Every one of the shows is so good and has such great information. The boom to bust so far is my favorite. Very much worth a listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    photogmomma
    United States21 days ago
  • March 10, 2026

    Excellent discussion with excellent guest Zack Beauchamp! This podcast is a MUST listen to understand clearly between, brazil, poland, south korea’s short autocratic, dictator take overs applied to us with the killer of democracy trump, russ vought, the heritage foundation. I will no doubt listen to this pod again.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    midwestBlue
    United States22 days ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews note inconsistent audio or editing quality and occasional challenging pacing.
A few listeners call out heavy promotional segments or ad reads impacting listening flow.
Overall, the feedback emphasizes credibility, thoughtfulness, and timely topics as key strengths.
Listeners praise the host's curiosity and preparation, and the consistently strong lineup of guests.
Feedback highlights appreciation for in-depth, nuanced discussions that connect ideas to real-world policy and outcomes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#224
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#212
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#163
South Korea/News
Apple Podcasts
#197
Singapore/News
Apple Podcasts
#238
Philippines/News
Apple Podcasts
#243
Austria/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron
Q: What makes this AI boom different from past technology booms like the metaverse or NFTs?
The hosts discuss that unlike the metaverse or NFTs, AI has tangible, immediate cost drivers (compute and GPUs) and a more opaque path to profitability, with subsidized pricing models masking true economics and heavy debt financing fueling expansion—creating greater systemic risk if profitability fails to materialize.
AI and the Public Good with Ezra Klein
Q: I guess my first question to you is, what's your read on the politics of AI right now?
The politics are bad on multiple levels because there has to be political decisions about whether AI harms are mitigated and whether AI goods can be harnessed; without a clear public agenda, investment and innovation will swing toward whoever has money and power, not toward the public good.
The AI End Game: Two-Year-Olds vs. AI with Alison Gopnik
Q: How should we understand this concept of intelligence?
Gopnik explains that intelligence is not a single, fixed quantity but a set of diverse cognitive capacities that trade off with each other, and that human intelligence is deeply tied to social and environmental context, learning through exploration, and interaction with the outside world.
The AI End Game: How Work is Changing with Ethan Mollick
Q: Can you walk through the superintelligence idea and what it would mean if it were real?
We discuss that it's not a settled horizon and that there are multiple plausible pathways. Some see a takeoff with rapid, recursive improvements that could transform many domains, while others caution that practical bottlenecks and governance will shape outcomes. The conversation emphasizes staying realistic about timelines and recognizing both the potential for dramatic gains and the risks of misaligned incentives.
The WNBA's "BIG Deal" with Tamika Tremaglio
Q: Why is it important to anchor compensation to gross revenue rather than net revenue?
Gross revenue anchoring ensures players share in the upside of overall league revenue and protects them from spending decisions by owners that could erode profits, which is especially important given large upfront investments in media deals and infrastructure.

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 This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on big questions at the intersection of society, politics, technology, and culture, inviting authors, academics, policymakers, and journalists to unpack how global events shape everyday life. Recent conversations skew toward AI and the future of work, democratic governance, economic policy, energy geopolitics, and social movements, with guests ranging from Wharton scholars to national journalists and policy analysts. The format tends to balance data-driven analysis with historical context and real-world implications, often highlighting regulatory considerations, equity, and the business of public goods. Listeners can expect thoughtful, in-depth discussions that aim to illuminate complexity and connect ideas to policy and ev... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

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

How many listeners does this podcast get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, 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 this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast 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 this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. All In with Chris Hayes
2. The Rachel Maddow Show
3. Main Justice
4. The Best People with Nicolle Wallace
5. Deadline: White House

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 8 years ago and published 465 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 this podcast?

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 this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast 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 this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. 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 this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Ed Zitron
2. David Chalmers
3. Timnit Gebru
4. Alison Gopnik
5. Ethan Mollick
6. Derek Thompson
7. Molly Crabapple
8. Catherine Wilde

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