The Press Box

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing the state of sports color commentary and whether or not analysts should be ex-players (0:30). Then Bryan recaps his four nights at the upper deck of the United Center in Chicago (10:30). They also discuss the following from the Democratic National Convention: Their favorite moments that stuck out (19:26) Some media grumbling (30:17) The branded media place to hang out (36:00) Then, in the notebook, they discuss the following: Rece Davis introduces college football (42:17) ESPN brings back 'The Sports Reporters' (44:41) And then, in Only in Journalism, they discuss Deion Sanders’s reaction to an only-in-journalism word (0:00) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan is live out of the United Center in Chicago along with Semafor’s Benjy Sarlin, and they recap the Democratic Convention. They assess Kamala Harris’s speech and then hit on 10 topics: Defining Kamala Harris (8:08) How the Democrats talk about Donald Trump (10:47) The Democrats’ embrace of celebrity (15:34) Thoughts on the rollout of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s running mate (17:55) The return of the Obamas and Obama-isms to the Democratic Party (21:27) The Democrats claim patriotism as their own with the USA chants (25:57) Their favorite speeches (28:30) Speeches that whiffed (32:11) The vibes in the convention (35:25) What they are looking for after this convention (37:31) Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Benjy Sarlin Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello media consumers! Bryan has a bonus mid-week episode with two special guests from CBS News. First he speaks with White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe, who discusses working the floors of the convention, staking out Joe Biden during his final days in the White House, and the early returns on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (1:21) Then he talks with the chief election and campaign correspondent, Robert Costa, to discuss his conversations with Donald Trump and Joe Biden, his thoughts on the convention so far, and leaving the theater after Biden announced that he is stepping down. (25:45) Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Ed O’Keefe and Robert Costa Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with a fun spoiler from the Democratic National Convention (0:30). Bryan is in Chicago right now and he has a few notes, including on the DNC version of radio row (8:00). Then they discuss the following: The return of The Onion (14:28) Press Box party at the DNC recap (15:44) Remembering Phil Donahue (23:18) ESPN makes a couple of cuts (31:01) Nicolas Cage to play John Madden in a biopic (36:00) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes The Ringer’s own Hollywood bureau chief, Alan Siegel. They both share some of their lukewarm takes on the media and the following subjects: Donald Trump’s love affair with Hannibal Lecter (01:31). The Donald Trump hack: documents sent to Politico emails (8:42) A sports documentary check-in on 'Hard Knocks' and 'Receiver' (18:15) The essence of cable news (28:01) Australian B-girl Raygun breaks her silence (37:26) Alan closes out with a few of his “only journalism words" (43:22) Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Alan Siegel Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing the New York Times story, “Inside the Worst Three Weeks of Donald Trump’s 2024 Campaign (0:43).” Then they discuss the following: Three reasons Tim Walz was selected as Kamala Harris’s running mate (09:00). The Harris-Trump debate is set (20:23) Tim Walz’s couch jokes (23:40) Then in the notebook they discuss the following: Noah Eagle’s impressive performance in the men’s and women’s basketball gold medal games (37:34) Another Charles Barkley update (39:24) A discussion about aggregators (43:50) And then in “Only in Journalism” they discuss Deion Sanders’s reaction to an only-in-journalism word (0:00) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David stop their vacations to discuss Tim Walz being picked to be Kamala Harris's running mate and the reactions of Democrats to the selection (1:27). They also discuss the following: Claire Malone’s profile of RFK Jr. (14:53). Evan Gershkovich being released from Russian prison (21:09) A botched Summer Olympics call (28:38) Donald Trump at NABJ (37:26) Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which included celebrities on the sideline, AI Al Michaels, and Dwyane Wade and Noah Eagle’s commentary (0:40). Then they discuss the running auditions for Kamala Harris’s running mate (12:29). Later, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the final stages of the NBA media rights deal (25:16) and take time to remember journalist Evan Wright (34:30). 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Alex Thompson, a national political correspondent for Axios. They kick off the show by discussing coverage of the last two weeks, which included President Joe Biden dropping out of the race (1:14). Then he gets into the current relationship between Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris (16:24), the relationship between Biden and Barack Obama over the past few weeks (27:26), and what it will look like covering Harris now (32:14). Plus, David Shoemaker guesses another Strained-Pun Headline Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Alex Thompson Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David react to the news that President Joe Biden will drop out of the 2024 presidential race and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. They discuss the following: How cable news moved slowly with its coverage and reactions (5:00) Reporters who could have taken a bow after the news broke (7:55) How Harris will be covered by political reporters (33:24) Hulk Hogan's and Dana White's appearances at the RNC (40:35) Then, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the following: Skip Bayless leaving Fox Sports (48:36) TNT's plan to match Amazon’s bid for NBA media rights (52:40) Pete Wells stepping down as the New York Times food critic (56:46) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes The Washington Post’s Chris Suellentrop, who joins the show from Milwaukee, where he's covering the Republican National Convention. He kicks off the show by discussing how the Republicans are ecstatic right now at the convention (1:40). Then they discuss Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance’s speech (4:16), whether Donald Trump will be more effective if he's elected president again (9:27), how the assassination attempt has become a part of the convention (16:07), and more. Host: Bryan Curtis Guests: Chris Suellentrop Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David react to the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump. They discuss the following, regarding the coverage: Reactions to hearing the news (0:36) The photographers and the amazing photos they captured (4:30) Interviews that took place immediately after the shooting (10:40) Social media conspiracy theories (20:12) Host: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes back Astead Herndon of The New York Times and host of ‘The Run-up Podcast.’ He comes on to discuss the following about President Joe Biden: Astead’s reporting in 2020 and how Biden’s age was a topic of conversation (1:04) Whether or not he ran his first campaign with the intentions of being a one-term president (08:38) The Biden campaign being more online now than four years ago (19:18) His experience interviewing Vice President Kamala Harris in 2016 (40:55) Plus, David Shoemaker guesses the Strained Punned Headline and Bryan closes the show with a quick update on the NBA rights Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Astead Herndon Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with talk of a rare breaking of silence: President Joe Biden’s interview on ABC (0:40). Then, they discuss the "Now They Tell Us" headline from the New York Post (13:50) and talk through whether or not the press blew it when it comes to reporting on Joe Biden (17:58). Later, in the Notebook Dump, Bryan talks about visiting the NFL Broadcast Bootcamp for current and former players, and shares some sound as they discuss being a rookie at something again (29:55) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the holiday coming up, Bryan is treating you to the Final Edition of 'The Press Box' early. He welcomes MSNBC analyst and 'Bulwark' podcast contributor Tim Miller, and they discuss the following: The atmosphere in Atlanta during the debate (2:14) Reactions to some Biden family members blaming staffers for the performance (13:15) Reactions to the media telling Biden to remove himself from the race (19:09) This podcast was recorded before the announcement that Biden will sit down for a TV interview. Plus, David Shoemaker guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Tim Miller Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello media consumers! Bryan and David talk for the first time since the presidential debate. They discuss whether or not the media could push Joe Biden off the ticket and have an open Democratic convention to choose the candidate (1:45). Later, in the Notebook Dump, they get into Al Michaels agreeing to allow NBC to use his voice for AI for olympics coverage (40:50) Then they discuss the antitrust lawsuit and the NFL loss regarding the ‘Sunday Ticket’ (51:06). 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the Final Edition, Bryan has a jam-packed show following the presidential debate. First, he welcomes Semafor's Benjy Sarlin for a recap. They discuss: The worst part of the night for Joe Biden (1:08) The timing of the debate (10:35) The history of incumbent presidents who've lost their first debates (15:31) Ben’s opinion on whether or not Biden will be the Democratic nominee on election day (26:06) What stood out about Donald Trump (31:04) Anderson Cooper’s interview with Vice President Kamala Harris (39:19) Then, he welcomes longtime CNN and ABC News political analyst Jeff Greenfield, who takes us back down memory lane as he revisits four presidential campaigns that he's covered in his career. How Trump has changed everything he thought about campaigns (50:39). Biden's run for president in 1988 and its collapse (54:12). Television's importance to presidential campaigns in the '80s (56:43) Behind the scenes of the race between George H. W. Bush and the Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in 1988

Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay. He kicks off the show with five thoughts on the upcoming presidential debate (2:23). Then they discuss ESPN’s first bid to Stephen A. Smith and how it compares to Pat McAfee’s deal (20:21). Later, they talk about JJ Redick becoming the new Lakers head coach and leaving the podcast game (33:42). They close the show with the 48 New York tabloid headlines about Justin Timberlake’s arrest (54:07). Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Jason Gay Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Dylan Byers and starts the show with a discussion about the word “defenestration" (1:20).Then they discuss the following: Dylan’s reaction to Charles Barkley’s "retirement” (2:42) What did David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery do wrong during the NBA negotiations (9:18)? CNN producing the presidential debate (15:02) William Lewis, ’Washington Post’ publisher, gets embattled (30:16). Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Dylan Byers Producer: Brian H. Waters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing yet another Charles Barkley “retirement announcement” (0:42). Then, they close out this NBA season with talk of ESPN adding an active player to their pregame show (13:14) and JJ Redick potentially being the first podcaster turned NBA coach (15:50). They then discuss the upcoming presidential debate and why it will be a huge night for CNN (19:40). Later in the Notebook Dump, they get into the Brat Pack documentary and why it is an interesting, secret media movie (32:01).  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices