Offline with Jon Favreau

Crooked Media

Is the internet slowly breaking our brains, and if so, what can we do about it? Offline with Jon Favreau is a place where you can take a break from doom-scrolling and tune in to smarter, lighter conversations about the impact of technology & the internet on our collective culture. Intimate interviews between Pod Save America host Jon Favreau and notable guests like Stephen Colbert, Hasan Piker, Chimamanda Adichie, ContraPoints, Margaret Atwood, and Rachel Maddow spark curiosity and introspection around the various ways our extremely online existence shapes everything from the ways we live, work, and interact with one another. Together we’ll figure out how to live happier, healthier lives, both on and offline. New episodes drop every Sunday morning, wherever you get your podcasts and on the Offline YouTube channel. read less

Our Editor's Take

Many people are starting to wonder if they spend too much online. That's the theme of the Offline with Jon Favreau podcast. The show examines how the internet affects lives and society. Progressives interested in current events and globalization will also find plenty to like here.

Jon Favreau hosts the podcast. Favreau is a former Obama administration director of speechwriting. He is also the cofounder of the liberal media company Crooked Media. His wife, Emily Favreau, cohosts some of the show's episodes.

The toxicity permeating news cycles and social media led to the creation of the podcast. Emily Favreau points out that John spends too much time online. She says he even checks his phone while using the bathroom. Favreau admits this. And he adds that he started pondering whether “our collective internet addiction” is why life doesn't feel so wonderful right now. On Offline with Jon Favreau, listeners will learn how to live better online and offline.

The topics on Offline with Jon Favreau vary but have a common theme. They're all about how the internet affects America's collective psyche. Monica Lewinsky, Stephen Colbert, and former Twitter CEO Ev Williams have been on the show. Episodes touch on the internet's culture of humiliation, Elon Musk's Twitter, and TikTok. The podcast addresses Silicon Valley, Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse, and the hyperconnected world. Vladimir Putin's propaganda is a topic on the podcast. So is Donald Trump.

The Offline with Jon Favreau podcast has an eclectic guest list. Soccer star Megan Rapinoe talks about social media's effect on athletes' psyches. Other guests include columnist Ezra Klein and social media reporter Taylor Lorenz. Jon interviews Brian Beutler, a fellow Crooked Media podcaster.

Listeners can hear new episodes of Offline with Jon Favreau every Sunday. Fans of this show might also enjoy Favreau's other podcast, Pod Save America.

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Play Trailer

Welcome to “Offline with Jon Favreau.” New episodes March 6.

Welcome to “Offline with Jon Favreau.” New episodes March 6.

Step away from the Twitter-fueled news cycle with Jon Favreau to hear smarter, lighter conversations about all he ways that our extremely online existence is shaping everything from politics and culture to the ways we live, work, and interact with one another. After a dozen interviews, Offline has moved to its own podcast feed. If you’re listening to this trailer in the new feed, congrats! Welcome to our new home. Make sure to subscribe for new episodes, which start back up March 6th.And, if you have a moment, please rate and review! Your engagement helps “Offline with Jon Favreau” find new audiences. See you soon.

Episodes

Was Luigi Mangione Too Online?

Was Luigi Mangione Too Online?

The more we learn about the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the more his digital footprint falls into the Offline wheelhouse. Luigi Mangione has posted about Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price; on Twitter he follows everyone from AOC to Ezra Klein to Joe Rogan. And don’t get us started on his Goodreads profile! Jon and Max talk through the internet's embrace of a suspected murderer, and whether the edgelords really believe what they’re posting. But first! The DC Circuit Court of Appeals rejected TikTok’s attempt to overturn an impending ban, which is scheduled to take effect next month—unless Trump or SCOTUS intervene. Plus, Max rants about the American Society of Anesthesiologists and Jon talks about what drove him to write an article for The Atlantic.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Can Talking to Strangers Fix Our Politics?

Can Talking to Strangers Fix Our Politics?

How often do you talk to someone you disagree with—not in a Twitter pile on, but face to face? With Donald Trump’s inauguration fast approaching (plus holidays full of opinionated relatives), Jon sits down with Dave Isay, the founder of StoryCorps, to talk about the healing power of conversation. StoryCorps is a segment on NPR’s Morning Edition, a podcast and the largest single archive of personal narratives in the world. Since 2016, it’s also facilitated conversations between Republicans and Democrats as part of its One Small Step Initiative, and the results are surprisingly heartwarming. Jon and Dave talk about strategies to overcome political polarization, what we learn when we talk to strangers, and how to have productive conversations with people who disagree with you. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Subscriber Exclusive: Terminally Online

Subscriber Exclusive: Terminally Online

While Offline is on a break this week, enjoy some of the best moments from the Crooked subscription exclusive show Terminally Online. Listen to learn more than you ever needed to know about the nuanced art of Balkan breakfast, RFK’s horny TikTok history, the ghosts in Tucker Carlson’s bedroom, and the complex backstory of the Costco Guys.If you want more, head to Crooked.com/Friends and subscribe! You'll get Terminally Online and other subscriber shows, and it's the best way to support Crooked Media as we build an independent, progressive media company.

Do Libs Need a Social Media Safe Space? Did Misinfo Hurt Kamala? How Much Should the Left Influence Democrats?

Do Libs Need a Social Media Safe Space? Did Misinfo Hurt Kamala? How Much Should the Left Influence Democrats?

Jon got piled on last week for tweeting that activist groups have pushed the Democratic Party out of supermajority territory. Waleed Shahid, a progressive strategist who’s worked for Bernie Sanders, AOC, and Justice Democrats, joins the show for an offline version of his and Jon’s online debate. Waleed explains why he thinks the blame is misplaced, and Jon weighs in on who—or what—is behind Democratic leaders losing touch with their base. But first! Trump’s new head of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, is a Project 2025 author. What does this mean for social media, free speech, and Elon Musk’s ventures? Plus, new exit polling shows late-deciding, swing voters had wildly inaccurate beliefs about Kamala Harris’s policy positions. Is hyper-targeted misinformation a permanent part of our electoral process now? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Why Democrats’ Media Problem is Deeper than “Liberal Joe Rogan”

Why Democrats’ Media Problem is Deeper than “Liberal Joe Rogan”

Somehow the interminable “who is the liberal Joe Rogan” debate is still raging a week after the election. Jeremiah Johnson, co-director of the Center for New Liberalism and author of the substack “Infinite Scroll” joins Offline to explain what the Rogan question gets wrong, how Democrats should expand their tent, and why we all need to stop scrolling and start making things. But first! BlueAnon is at it again. Jon and Max break down election conspiracy theories—this time from liberals—and walk through how Trump will approach AI, crypto, and TikTok as president. Then, Offline producers Austin Fisher and Emma Illick-Frank sit down with the guys to compare draft picks for the left’s Joe Rogan, and to youthsplain the internet’s best and brightest. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Where We Go From Here

Where We Go From Here

Yeah, rough week. Jon and Max reckon with Tuesday’s result and break down how Donald Trump — once again — was able to grow his coalition. They dissect how Trump won despite his very online campaign, not because of it — and why that may be cause for hope. Then they share their own experience knocking doors in swing states, talk about the role misinformation and foreign interference played in the election, and return to Offline’s most important question: How can we make democracy work in our current information environment? Plus, Max offers up what may be the only fun question about the next four years. How long will it be before Donald Trump publicly and nationally humiliates Elon Musk? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Offline’s Anti-Anxiety Election Special

Offline’s Anti-Anxiety Election Special

The 2024 election is almost upon us, and if you’re not anxious…please give us some of whatever you’re taking. Barton Gellman, Senior Advisor at the Brennan Center for Justice, joins Offline to talk about how election officials are safeguarding your vote. This spring, Gellman co-lead a series of table top exercises involving current and former politicians, military officers, and analysts. Together, they played out worst-case scenarios under a second Trump presidency to better understand the true threat he poses to democracy—and brainstorm how conscientious objectors, state governments, and even protesting priests could slow him down. But first! Max and Jon talk about whether newspapers should endorse presidents, Jeff Bezos’s cringey letter, and the many ways they’re quelling their own election anxiety. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Elon Kills the Block Button, AI Comes for Podcasts, and The Good Liar's Guide to Talking to Trump Voters

Elon Kills the Block Button, AI Comes for Podcasts, and The Good Liar's Guide to Talking to Trump Voters

The Good Liars, a MAGA trolling comedy duo, join Offline to share what it’s like on the ground at Trump rallies this close to the election. Davram Stiefler and Jason Selvig have been churning out political satire since they occupied Occupy Wall Street, and they talk to Jon about finding the humor and holes in the Trump camp’s rhetoric. But first! This week the app formerly known as Twitter announced a major change to the block function: it’s gone. Max and Jon discuss whether the ensuing X-odus will finally make Bluesky relevant, and why Jon doesn’t like to give his haters the satisfaction of being blocked. Then, it’s bros vs. brobots as the guys face down their own obsolescence and listen to an AI-generated podcast from NotebookLM. The platform is trained on whatever data–or book about saving democracy–you upload, and can synthesize the material into a jokey conversation between two hosts with a good rapport…sound familiar? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Biden’s Weather Machine, Leaked TikTok Docs, Elon’s MAGA Ground Game, and Big Porn to the Rescue?

Biden’s Weather Machine, Leaked TikTok Docs, Elon’s MAGA Ground Game, and Big Porn to the Rescue?

Why are FEMA workers being threatened for trying to help clean up after Hurricane Helene? Jon and Max break down the misinformation spreading on social media, including the now infamous girl-with-puppy AI image. Then, they discuss the leaked documents that show TikTok knows exactly how harmful their app is, and check in on Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO is going all out to help Trump’s campaign, but fortunately the porn industry is lending a hand to beat it back.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Hasan Piker on the Bro Vote, Kamala Harris, and the 2024 Election

Hasan Piker on the Bro Vote, Kamala Harris, and the 2024 Election

Hasan Piker, Gen Z’s favorite left wing political commentator and Twitch streamer, joins Offline to talk about the Trump campaign’s bro-first election strategy, the right wing’s dominance of the digital media landscape, and why, 25 days until the election, he’s feeling mostly…tired. Jon and Hasan debate the Biden-Harris policy agenda, particularly with regard to immigration and Israel-Palestine, and Hasan shares how he avoids burnout while talking politics live for 50 hours a week. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Silicon Valley’s Newest Bad Idea, Vigilantes Infiltrate the Far Right, and Should We Buy Infowars?

Silicon Valley’s Newest Bad Idea, Vigilantes Infiltrate the Far Right, and Should We Buy Infowars?

Alex Jones’ conspiracy media network, InfoWars, is up for sale, as is the at-home genetic testing service 23andMe…and potentially the DNA of 15 million people who used it. Meanwhile, TikTok grifters are using AI to fake defecting to North Korea, and it’s for a dumber reason than you could possibly imagine. But first! Silicon Valley thinks it’s finally figured out how to make smart glasses that someone will actually want to buy. Max and guest host Jane Coaston (What A Day) break it all down. Then, Max interviews New Yorker correspondent David Kirkpatrick about the rise of left-wing. internet vigilantes who are infiltrating white nationalist groups. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Trump Truths vs. Trump Tweets, Chappell Roan's Non-Endorsement, and Behind the Scenes at Elon's Twitter

Trump Truths vs. Trump Tweets, Chappell Roan's Non-Endorsement, and Behind the Scenes at Elon's Twitter

New York Times tech reporter Kate Conger joins Offline to discuss Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, a new book she coauthored with Ryan Mac. It’s the best coverage out there of Elon’s takeover and the subsequent deterioration of the platform, with behind-the-scenes reporting on how and why he bought the company, and the decisions he’s made since. But first! Jon and Max discuss whether the danger of Donald Trump has become more abstract since his forced migration to Truth Social. Then they unpack Chappell Roan’s decision to support but not endorse Kamala Harris, and John Mulaney’s hilarious takedown of Salesforce at the company’s own conference. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Why "Blade Runner" Still Defines How We See Tech

Why "Blade Runner" Still Defines How We See Tech

Critic Emily St. James and Crooked’s Halle Kiefer join Max to discuss “Blade Runner,” the 1982 classic that asks the question: could an AI chatbot become so hot that it would be unethical to delete it? Perhaps no other movie has had as big an impact on sci-fi or the aesthetic of futurism as Ridley Scott’s film. Is this Harrison Ford’s peak hotness? Which Silicon Valley Overlord is our Tyrell? If life imitates art, does tech imitate sci-fi? Listen to the final installment of Offline Movie Club to find out. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

GOP's "Black Nazi" Porn Posting, Instagram's New Rules, and Tristan Harris's Guide to Humane Technology

GOP's "Black Nazi" Porn Posting, Instagram's New Rules, and Tristan Harris's Guide to Humane Technology

Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and ex-design ethicist at Google, joins Offline to chat about the attention economy, why tech execs don’t let their own kids on the apps, and how our AI arms race is one giant game of Jenga. But first! Jon and Max break down Instagram’s new sweeping changes for teen users—do they address child safety concerns? Why now? Will kids be able to outsmart the new rules? Then they turn to pet-obsessed Springfield, Ohio, which has been suffering through some of the most pestilent (and catchy) misinformation of this election cycle. To close it out, the guys break down North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson’s slew of scandals, and how Republicans are shamelessly endorsing him nonetheless. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

How “Fight Club” Created a Generation of Sh*tposters

How “Fight Club” Created a Generation of Sh*tposters

Since “Fight Club” hit theaters in 1999, the movie has become both a cinematic cult classic and a building block of how people (mostly men) express themselves online. Film critic Emily St. James and Crooked’s Erin Ryan join Offline Movie Club to talk about whether David Fincher’s opus deserves its top tier rankings, how the movie has been misappropriated by disillusioned Gen Xers and online chauvinists alike, and whether there are any feminist messages to be found. In essence, it’s Edward Norton playing a bored shitposter with Brad Pitt as his edgelord sock puppet account—what’s not to love? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Robert Putnam on Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, and Making America Social Again

Robert Putnam on Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, and Making America Social Again

Robert Putnam, renowned political scientist and author of Bowling Alone and The Upswing, joins Offline to explain why bowling alone and scrolling alone are two sides of the same coin. Putnam has spent his life deciphering why social capital—our connection to each other and our communities—has been withering away for the last 50 years. The consequences of this trend are the focus of a new documentary, “Join or Die,” which explores the importance of civic engagement in America. Bob and Jon talk about the film, why social capital undergirds democracy, and why the internet is no substitute for joining an in-person club. Join or Die is the inaugural film of the IRL Movie Club - a new initiative for Americans to gather in art house cinemas, watch documentaries in the public interest and then talk about them. To learn more, visit https://www.irlmovieclub.org/ For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

“Tár” with Jon Favreau and Amanda Hess

“Tár” with Jon Favreau and Amanda Hess

This week Offline Móvie Clúb takes on “Tár,” the 2022 film about a music conductor whose narcissism and abuses of power bring about her very public downfall. Max is joined by New York Times critic at large, Amanda Hess, and Offline critic at large, Jon Favreau, to examine the movie’s takes on cancel culture, identity construction and the limits of control—especially online. Should we feel pity for cancelled celebrities? To what extent is social media real life? And is “Tár” secretly a comedy? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Trump Tours the Manosphere, Russia Funds MAGA Influencers, and Hawk Tuah Girl Cashes In

Trump Tours the Manosphere, Russia Funds MAGA Influencers, and Hawk Tuah Girl Cashes In

It’s not just supplements and energy drinks fueling the manosphere. Your favorite right-wing podcaster may be sponsored by…Vladimir Putin! Jon and Max discuss the new federal indictment alleging that the Kremlin has been funding right-wing internet personalities, including Tim Pool. Then they break down why the Brazilian Supreme Court has blocked access to X and why the “Hawk Tuah” girl’s new podcast showcases the difference between virality and popularity. But first! Donald Trump is doing the red-pilled podcast circuit in an effort to get young men to vote for him. The guys take stock of the former president’s appearances from Jake Paul to Lex Fridman, and explain why a “laid-back” Trump is so dangerous. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

How "Zola" Explains Social Media Brain

How "Zola" Explains Social Media Brain

Has there ever been a more dramatic Twitter thread than A’Ziah King’s 2015 saga about a roadtrip turned kidnapping? Erin Ryan and Josie Duffy Rice join Max to discuss “Zola,” the movie adaptation of those tweets. The film tells the (mostly true) story of a young stripper getting whisked away to Florida by a new acquaintance and her pimp. Its searing commentary on sex trafficking is studded with notification sounds and social media soliloquies, to both sinister and comedic effect. Are Florida roadtrips ever a good idea? What are the hallmarks of toxic white girls? And how much of the original post was really true? Listen to this week’s Offline Movie Club to find out. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Obama's Offline Speech, Zuck Fears Trump, and the Crank Political Divide

Obama's Offline Speech, Zuck Fears Trump, and the Crank Political Divide

Max and Jon sit down to break down a very online DNC, diving into Obama’s anti-social media convention speech, the MyPillow guy’s embarrassing troll attempts, and a Taylor Swift & Beyonce rumor that spun out of control. Plus: Mark Zuckerberg’s fear driven turn towards Trump and the new political divide: cranks vs. everyone else. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.