Lovett or Leave It

2018 ends as it began: with a looming government shutdown, chaos in the White House, and Paul Ryan hiding behind a potted plant. In a special holiday episode, we highlight some of our favorite moments from Lovett or Leave It this year, from Fox’s take on Colin Kaepernick, to Ijeoma Oluo’s take on #MeToo, Emily Heller’s take on shark thieves, and Lovett’s take on the food pyramid, the downfall of Hooters, and policies that force people to work when they’re sick. Plus a dramatic reading with Mandy Moore and Taylor Goldsmith as the Conways, Ezra Miller stops by to play a game and so much more. Like Nancy Pelosi said to that gavel, see you in 2019.

Cohen faces the music. Trump faces Pelosi. And Favreau and Vietor face Lovett's 2018 quiz. What a week. What a year. Jon is joined by returning champions Alicia Garza, Megan Gailey, Louis Virtel, Jon Favreau, and Tommy Vietor to break down a wild week of culminations and confrontations. Plus: Lady Gaga's repetitive sound bites, romaine lettuce's bitter downfall, Amy Adams's many Oscar snubs, and we announce our 2019 Lovett or Leave It tour. Terrific.

And we're back! Wisconsin Republicans reject the will of the voters, Mueller closes in on Individual 1, Fox News launches a new streaming service, Lou Dobbs loses the plot, and the Women's Center for Creative Work's Community Chorus join us LIVE to sing a brand new holiday song about Obamacare open enrollment and Trump's efforts to sabotage it. Mitra Jouhari, Jen Statsky, and Hayes Davenport join Jon to break down the week's news, the new Grinch movie, and the reason people fall asleep on the couch instead of just getting ready for bed like a human being.

Stacey Abrams and Bill Nelson fight to count every vote, protesters target Tucker Carlson’s house, a lovely woman wants to marry a ghost, and RBG fell but Lovett couldn’t even bring himself to discuss it

We’re days away from the midterms and Republicans are doubling down on racist fear mongering as their closing argument. We play a game about what we can expect to see from Republicans if they’re voted into office and we try to convince some advice seekers why their vote matters! Erin Ryan is joined by Aparna Nancherla, Demi Adejuyigbe and Matt Pearce to break down the week in news.  

Trump uses the fear of innocent refugees to rally his base. Fox News explains the motivation behind the migrant caravan. We recommend some Halloween costumes that will scare liberals straight and get a lesson in the hard and long fought history for voting rights in the US which, thanks to Republicans, is still not over! Erin Ryan is joined by Nicole Byer, Emily Heller and Andrew Ti to break down the week in news.

Mitch McConnell makes it clearer than ever that Republican’s are full of shit. We share some advice about what to do when you experience or see voter discrimination and we get a much-needed pep talk about that terrifying climate report. Guy shares his experience canvassing for the first time, the royal family just got bigger, and white women need to take a seat. Max Silvestri, Saru Jayaraman and Tre’vell Anderson join for Guy’s last week guest-hosting!

Brett Kavanaugh serves his first day on the Supreme Court, evil boat shoe Charlie Kirk has thoughts on Taylor Swift, history proves that not all hope is lost and we play a game that shows there's no good excuse not to vote on November 6th! Lovett officially left it but here to fill in is Guy Branum joined by Ike Barinholtz, Kiran Deol and Guy's very own former law professor Miranda McGowan.

Donald Trump's wealth began with brazen tax fraud, Brett Kavanaugh hurtles toward confirmation, Fox News wants a culture that never ever changes, and sure, we have bigger fish to fry, but paper straws are bad, OK? Neal Brennan, Amanda Seales, and Michaela Watkins are back to help break down the week's news. Plus with the help of expert Dave Fleischer, Jon and Michaela demonstrate the dos and don'ts of door-to-door canvassing. The election is one month away, people. Let's go. To canvass with the Leadership LAB, text or call 424-256-1994 to volunteer.

Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the one female lawyer hired to do their dirty work. Plus Trump has a bananas press conference, Lindsey Graham loses the plot, Facebook once again treats our privacy like a toilet, and 80s comedies are gross gross gross. Akilah Hughes, Guy Branum, and Louis Virtel join Jon to break down a heartbreaking week and talk about Glenn Close almost winning oscars.

Rod Rosenstein reportedly raised invoking the 25th amendment. Republicans plow ahead with Brett Kavanaugh's nomination despite sexual assault allegations even as Kavanaugh's allies offer bizarre theories to exonerate their pal. We look back at the Anita Hill hearings and elections decided by just a handful of votes. Plus rants on spiders, Bert and Ernie, women's sleeves, and Ted Cruz's shitty campaign tactics. VERY special thanks to the all-star, tournament-of-champion guests Emily Heller, Ira Madison III, and Erin Ryan for joining us in studio for a last-minute, first-ever studio recording of Lovett or Leave It. WHAT A WEEK.

Disturbing allegations emerge against Brett Kavanaugh, CBS ousts Les Moonves and confronts a misogynist workplace culture, Serena Williams deals with a bunch of bullshit, Tucker Carlson goes full fascist, and in honor of the high holidays, we atone for how our culture mistreated Monica Lewinsky, Marcia Clark, and Britney Spears. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii joins Jon to talk about the Supreme Court and being the best senator on Twitter, and Erin Ryan and comedian Janelle James join to break down a big week of news. Also, it's fine that Ronan doesn't listen to the podcast. He's busy.

Anonymous Trump officials write op-eds for the Times and tell Bob Woodward everything. Kavanaugh perjures himself before the Senate. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris go hard in the hearings. And huge shocker: Fox & Friends doesn't like Colin Kaepernick's Nike ads. Plus Trump officials sound a lot like Real Housewives, Republicans scare voters about socialism, and a lovely, innovative woman dips her chicken fingers in Diet Coke. We are joined by an all-star panel with Kara Brown, Josh Barro, and Emily Yoshida to break down a ton of huge news. WHAT A WEEK. 

Mandy Moore and Dawes's Taylor Goldsmith join for a very special dramatic reading of Kellyanne and George Conway's public disagreements. Plus we break down the results of Democratic primaries, the GOP's list of Trump scandals, the racist message of Florida's GOP gubernatorial candidate, Louis CK's attempted return, the rise of electric scooters, and more with comedian Tawny Newsome, writer Dana Schwartz, and Cristobal Alex of the Latino Victory Fund. What a week. What an episode.

Paul Manafort is convicted and Michael Cohen pleads guilty while implicating the president. So we invited Andy Richter and Max Silvestri to help us imagine what it would be like for Paul and Mike to share a cell. Plus Trump sounds like a mob boss who lost a step, prisoners nationwide are striking for better working conditions, millennials are killing Hooters, and one-size-fits-all stores are evil. Alice Wetterlund, Jess Morales Rocketto, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste join Jon to break down one of the most consequential weeks of the Trump “presidency.”