The Press Box

The Ringer

  • 1 hour 33 minutes
    Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis on Launching the Sports Gabfest, the Benefit of Mutually Reinforcing Weirdo Tendencies, and Why They Hate the Hall of Fame


    Hello, media consumers! Bryan is still out on vacation, but Joel is here with two former colleagues, Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis. They kick off the show by discussing the first time Joel joined them on a podcast (0:44). Then they discuss the following:

    • ‘Hang Up and Listen,’ a sports show that was produced by a non-sports publication (14:00)
    • The reason Josh and Stefan hate the Hall of Fame (28:34)
    • Josh and Bryan’s "mutually reinforcing weirdo tendencies" (32:01)
    • How covering sports for ‘Hang Up and Listen’ helped with their other work (52:34)
    • How Josh and Stefan’s relationship evolved as they worked together (57:33)


    Host: Joel Anderson

    Guests: Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis

    Producer: Brian H. Waters

    Additional Production Support: Bobby Wagner


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    3 April 2025, 8:58 pm
  • 2 hours 45 seconds
    25 for 25 Industry in Memoriam: Remembering the Publications Lost in the 21st Century


    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel are back with the second edition of The Press Box's 25 for 25. Today, they look back at the publications lost in the 21st century—including ESPN the Magazine, Gawker, and many others—and ask: What do we lose when a media company disappears? And how should we remember them, if at all?

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel D. Anderson

    Producer: Brian H. Waters

    Additional Production: Conor Nevins

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    31 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 34 minutes
    Van Lathan on What Makes a Good Political Pundit, How TMZ Shaped Him and His Career, and a Very Special Request for Hillary Clinton and His Mom.

    Hello, media consumers! While Bryan is on vacation, Joel is in the driver’s seat and he welcomes in The Ringer’s own, Van Lathan (3:10). They kick off the show by discussing their paths to today’s episode then talk about the following:

    • How Van prepares for his CNN appearances (6:56)
    • Stephen A. Smith as a presidential candidate (17:52)
    • Who will be the face of the NBA (32:23)?
    • NIL ruining college sports (44:19)
    • Van’s time at TMZ and what he learned (51:23)
    • Life after confronting Kanye West (1:03:29)

    Host: Joel Anderson

    Guest: Van Lathan

    Producers: Brian H. Waters and Jonathan Kermah


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    27 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 52 minutes 25 seconds
    Graydon Carter on ‘Vanity Fair,’ ‘Spy,’ and the Glorious Excess of the Magazine Era


    Bryan kicks off the week with a conversation with Graydon Carter, who comes on to discuss ‘Spy Magazine’ going to ‘Vanity Fair’ and more. They discuss the following:

    • The idea behind 'Spy Magazine' (2:46)
    • Who took the stories the hardest from 'Spy' (9:57)
    • His perception of Donald Trump (10:36)
    • If Spy could have worked in the early 2000s (13:20)
    • Being offered a choice between 'Vanity Fair' and 'The New Yorker' (14:19)
    • How writers were treated like stars (23:26)
    • How 'Vanity Fair' was able to land the”deep throat” story, the source behind the Watergate scandal (29:10)
    • Creating the Vanity Fair Oscar Party (38:00)
    • Why he left 'Vanity Fair' in 2017 (40:50)
    • What we lost from the magazine era (43:33)

    Host: Bryan Curtis

    Guest: Graydon Carter

    Producer: Brian H. Waters



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    24 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 16 minutes
    A Contentious White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, Jackie Robinson and the Defense Department, and a Buyout Bloodbath in Chicago



    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel fire up the mics to close out the week here at 'The Press Box.' Joel takes you to J-School, where he discusses whether or not there is a diet for Kanye West content, Collin Morikawa’s comments on mainstream coverage, and getting off the Feinstein train. Joel closes the segment with a brief tribute to his uncle Doug (1:45).

    Then they get into the following headlines:

    • The Trump administration's replacements for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner (26:12)
    • The removal of Jackie Robinson’s story from the Department of Defense’s website (36:08)
    • Is March Madness losing its luster? (46:39)
    • The Chicago Sun-Times buyout (1:02:30)

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel D. Anderson

    Producer: Brian H. Waters

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    20 March 2025, 8:57 pm
  • 52 minutes 13 seconds
    John Feinstein and March Madness, News From The New Yorker, and Gutting the Voice of America

    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the week by discussing Donald Trump’s dismantlement of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the Voice of America (0:45). Then they get into the Old Guy’s Still Got It Segment with sounds from Rick Pitino (8:40), Tom Izzo (10:30), and Dick Vitale (14:20). Afterward they discuss Michael Wilbon’s tribute to John Feinstein (16:20). Later in the Notebook Dump they discuss the changes happening at The New Yorker (38:42).

    Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

    Producers: Jessie Lopez and Brian H. Waters

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    17 March 2025, 8:59 pm
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    The Horrors of NFL Free Agency, Michelle Obama and Gavin Newsom Pivot to Podcasts, and Remembering John Feinstein


    Hello media consumers! "Bryan and Joel kick off the show with J-School during which they discuss Monday’s topics, including Stephen A. Smith vs. Tim Walz for the 2028 democratic nominee, sources calling after a Kendrick Perkins story, and more (1:24)

    They then get into the following headlines:

    • Reflecting on John Feinstein’s legacy including his book, ‘A Season on the Brink’ (16:36)
    • NFL free agency week in America (24:55)
    • Michelle Obama and Gavin Newsom launching podcasts (43:38)
    • Three pieces of audio that may make you smile, laugh, or furrow your brow (57:10)

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

    Producer: Brian H. Waters


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    13 March 2025, 11:45 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Four NBA Media Meltdowns, Oscar Season for Democrats, and a Great Editor’s ‘Only in Journalism’

    Tim Walz is making the media rounds, leading The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker to ask whether the Minnesota governor or Stephen A. Smith is more likely to run for president in 2028 (00:00). Then, the guys get into a series of media meltdowns, including the ongoing beef between Stephen A. and LeBron James (13:00), Charles Barkley vs. Kendrick Perkins (26:12), Draymond Green’s shameless self-promotion (35:08), Mark Cuban’s thoughts on the Luka Doncic trade (40:57), and more.


    Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.


    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

    Producer: Troy Farkas

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    10 March 2025, 10:24 pm
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    The Curious Case of Shedeur Sanders, the L.A. Times’ Broken Bias Meter, and Farewell to ‘Around the Horn’

    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel return to discuss the State of the Union address (2:04). Then, they break down the press surrounding NFL draft prospect Shedeur Sanders and the Bias Meter (21:40). They close by remembering 'Around The Horn' and FiveThirtyEight (56:43).


    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

    Producer: Stefan Anderson


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    7 March 2025, 1:45 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    Conan and the Oscars, Trump and Zelensky, and More WaPo-Bezos Fallout



    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off recapping the Oscars, including Conan O’Brien’s performance as host (0:34).

    Then they discuss the following stories from Washington:

    • Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meeting in the Oval Office (18:39)
    • Finally having the Jefferey Epstein files (33:20)
    • The Washington Post losing over 75,000 subscribers (41:23)

    Then in the ‘Notebook Dump’, they discuss Jimmy Johnson’s retirement from television (52:37) and former Biden officials' explanation of the 2024 election (58:09).

    Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

    Producer: Brian H. Waters


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    3 March 2025, 8:32 pm
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    Jeff Bezos Vs. The Washington Post, When NFL Insiders Attack, and the Remaking of MSNBC


    Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel fire up the mics to close out the week here at 'The Press Box.' Joel takes you to “J-school,” where he talks to Bryan about his media diet, Stephen A. Smith's presidential bid, and his return to D.C. (1:22).

    Then they get into the following headlines:

    • Jeff Bezos’s extreme opinion section makeover (19:24)
    • When NFL insiders attack: the battle between Ian Rapoport and Jordan Schultz (47:14)
    • A new book on Joe Biden (53:55)
    • Joy Reid out and the remaking of MSNBC (57:16)
    • Curt Menefee interviews New York Mayor Eric Adams (1:00:42)

    Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

    Producer: Brian H. Waters

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    27 February 2025, 9:21 pm
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