What Future with Joshua Topolsky
by iHeartPodcasts
Host Joshua Topolsky (co-creator of Vox Media and founder of The Verge) deconstructs modern culture, mining the surprising connections that make up our increasingly frenetic world. A heady mixture of fugue-state monologues and spontaneous, irreverent conversations with experts, weirdos, and big thinkers, What Future is here to dissect our insane reality, lasso the pieces, and ride off into the sunset with your money, your woman, and your pride.
Episodes
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October's Very Own
What Future's future is not the future any of us saw coming. Josh and the gang - Lyra, Jenna, special guest Jenna's husband Kyle, Jenna and Kyle's beautiful new baby Jude, and secretive podcast editor Adam - enjoy a strange, chaotic, frankly disturbing episode where they recap and recount the…
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The Break
What Future is running a system update and will be back October 19th. Mark your calendar if you dare.
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Josh Solo
The new iPhone is out, but does anyone really care? Would you stand in line for it or are those days a thing of the past? Discussed: electric boats, chicken sandwiches, drinking
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Josh & Lyra
Josh is on the road, sans microphone. Thankfully, producer Lyra records all her phone calls. This episode of What Future Is lo-fi and stressed for time. What could go wrong? Discussed: Karens, catcalling, Blackberry
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The Songs That Explain Rob Harvilla
Today's episode of What Future is an extreme delight. Not only does Josh speak to "60 Songs That Explain the 90's" host and absolute genius Rob Harvilla, but Zelda (Josh's daughter) joins in to ask the hard hitting questions all true Rob fans want the answers to. If you're a fan of music from any...
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Baratunde Thurston Explains Our Pain [Rerelease]
[rerelease] On the show this week Josh is joined by the illuminating and hilarious Baratunde Thurston (host of the PBS show America Outdoors, Puck News writer, and all-around genius) to discuss... the total breakdown of information in the world. Baratunde and Josh take the listener on a sprawling...
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Disgraced Threads Editor Katie Notopoulos Dishes the Dirt
Josh gets a rare chance to sit down with the former Editor-in-Chief of Meta's Threads app, Katie Notopoulos. As an internet denizen known to be controversial and divisive, Katie wasted no time stirring the pot on the Instagram-adjacent social app. On today's episode, the two discuss what went…
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Oppenheimerverse with Nick Rutherford
Today on the show, Josh is joined by the Emmy Award winning actor, writer, comedian, producer, and patriot Nick Rutherford. As executive producer of Rick and Morty, Rutherford has gazed into the dark heart of extreme comedy and lived to tell the tale. As a writer on Saturday Night Live, he's…
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How Computers Dream with David Holz [Rerelease]
[rerelease] What you’re reading right now was written by an artificially intelligent — though not sentient — neural network designed to write descriptions for podcasts. Or was it? You don’t know, and that’s what makes AI so fascinating, cool, and scary. Since Josh loves all of those feelings, he...
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Payne Lindsey and the American Aliens
In this barnstormer of an episode, Josh invites true crime legend Payne Lindsey onto the show to explore his latest obsession: aliens. ETs have recently catapulted from conspiracy theory websites into the mainstream thanks to a series of videos recently revealed, which seem to depict flying…
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This Game Could Be Your Life, with Gene Park
You may not know this, but Josh is a GAMER. He loves video games. He was raised on video games. He is not good at video games but he does enjoy them deeply. That is why this week Josh is joined by The Washington Post’s Gene Park, one of the greatest gaming journalists to have ever journaled the...
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Thread Heat with Casey Newton
The wonderful and spectacular and always charming Casey Newton once again joins Josh on a journey through the exciting twists and turns of Elon Musk's absolutely terrible business chops and the incredible rise of Meta's Threads (also known as Instagram For Words). On this episode, the two explore...
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Rise of the Pay Pigs, with Ben Cahn & Emil DeRosa
The last time we spoke with Ben Cahn and Emil DeRosa, the two men-about-town and bon vivants were deep within something known as the Trillionaire Mindset. But that mindset is dead and buried... and now the dawning of the Pay Pigs is upon us. Josh and the boys get deep on the duo's new podcast…
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The What Future Evening Zoo
After returning from a trip, Josh has some gripes. Like it is very hard to get a passport last minute. But don't worry, he showed up at 10am and faced the Children of Men vibes at the passport office and got his. What other strange and wonderful things did Josh discover on his European…
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Josh Versus The Professor, Part 2
An unexpected visitor returns this week. It's Professor Scientist and he's in a mood. His anxiety is rising because we're all aging and well... lately, everyone's in a state of panic about AI wiping out humanity. Is it just a marketing tool? Or are there real dangers? Discussed: storytelling…
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The Music of Now, with Tanlines
On today's episode, Josh is joined by his brother, Eric Emm, and their good friend Jesse Cohen. Eric and Jesse are better known collectively as the band Tanlines, and they've just released a fantastic new record called 'The Big Mess' after a multi-year hiatus. What has become of the music…
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Apple's Vision of the Future (Mark Gurman, Act 2)
It finally, really happened. You maniacs! You forced Apple to make an insane ski goggle VR thing that I guess is the future now? Even though it seems depressing and isolating and kind of dorky but not in a cool brooding outsider way? Because Mark Gurman is the god emperor of scoops and literally...
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Apple's Virtual Reality Distortion Field, with Mark Gurman
Apple is going to do something that none of us could have predicted. The company is about to announce its most ambitious product in years: a headset that looks like ski goggles that allows you to experience both virtual and augmented reality. How do we know this? Because of our guest Mark Gurman…
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I Survived the Apocalypse and All I Got was This Great Economy, with Felix Salmon
The pandemic made the global economy weird. Very weird. So weird, in fact, that you could write a book about how many things have gotten upended, turned around, and totally blown up during the peak COVID years. And that's exactly what Felix Salmon has done. Salmon, the chief financial…
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Maximum Reading with Max Read
Max Read. To know him is to love him. And to read him is to know him. Editor, writer, newsletter proprietor — citizen of the internet. Max is many things, and today he's Josh's guest, covering a wide range of topics on the show including but not limited to: artificial intelligence, the media...
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Inside the Trillionaire Mindset, with Ben Cahn & Emil DeRosa
What is the Trillionaire Mindset? How do you enter the Trillionaire Mindset? Are you born with the Trillionaire Mindset, or can it be taught? All these questions and more will be answered by Ben Cahn and Emil DeRosa — hosts of a podcast called... Trillionaire Mindset. Josh and the boys go on a…
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Katie Baker and the Secrets of Succession
On today's episode, Josh is joined by The Ringer's Katie Baker. The two delve into Katie's mysterious past as a junior online moderator, Goldman Sachs alum, and first-generation bloggerati before hopping on a private jet and taking a trip to fuck off island. While on the island, Josh and Katie...
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Just Do It with Joshua Topolsky
The What Future team takes the opportunity to grill Josh after our guest cancelled at the last minute. Just how did he become the man he is today? Tune in to hear the pivotal moments of Josh's career on an episode some are calling "inspiring," while others say, "invasive." Discussed: V Rave,...
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Veni, Vidi, Viva, with Jennifer Romolini
Power. Sex. Fame. Greed. These are all words. Powerful words that make you feel something deep, deep in your soul. And all those ideas are on full display in the new podcast Stiffed, hosted by this week’s guest, writer and podcaster Jennifer Romolini. Join Josh and Jenn as they go back in time to...
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Bex Taylor-Klaus is Gaming the System
Acclaimed actor Bex Taylor-Klaus — star of '13 Reasons Why' and the 'Scream' TV series — joins Josh on a raucous romp through the realities of growing up Jewish, queer, and southern. The two bond over their shared heritage and Josh's lack of belief in god before going on to talk about finding joy...
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Ryan Broderick, Scholar of the Internet
Ryan Broderick, creator of Garbage Day (the day, and also the newsletter and burgeoning media empire) knows a thing or two about "online." Not only has he been covering general weirdness on the internet since before the dawn of Pepe, but he's got some strong notions about where all this madness…
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Cruising with Jamie Loftus
Jamie Loftus is a comedian, a writer, an actor, a PODCASTER (listen to understand these caps), but most importantly... she is a person who decided to write an entire book about the humble food item we all affectionately refer to as a "hot dog." Jamie joins Josh on a truly 360 adventure where the...
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Let Sara Schaefer Be Your Guide
Acclaimed stand up comedian, writer, and Emmy Award winner Sara Schaefer joins Josh on a raucous journey, exploring the dark underworld of reverse cancel culture, mob rule, one-woman shows, and theme park rides. Sara and Josh do a full conversational road trip, pondering the madness of social...
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Panic! At The Bank with Felix Salmon
You've heard the rest, now hear the best. Josh welcomes Axios Chief Financial Correspondent Felix Salmon to run a post-mortem on the Silicon Valley Bank & Signature collapse, the implosion of Silvergate, and the wide variety of freakouts and breakdowns that accompanied the not-so-micro failure....
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Return of the Slap with Nick Turner
Josh is elated to speak with Nick Turner, not Nicks Turners as his Twitter handle would lead you to believe. As a standup and podcaster, he's been through it all and will not be stopped by a wet heckler. His latest special "Ice Cold" is available on YouTube. Check out Nick live: March 10th San...
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Even Trolls Can Die with Katie Notopoulos
It's a family affair today as Josh welcomes his sister-in-law and Senior Technology Reporter for Buzzfeed News, Katie Notopoulos. Lots to uncover and dissect in a world wide web gone mad, but thankfully we have an expert in the chaos. Discussed: Dilbert, Bold Glamour, Slurp Juices, SAG Awards
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Boomer's Paradise with Philip Bump
Josh welcomes Washington Post columnist and author of 'The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America,' Philip Bump! Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, where are they and where are they going? You are one of them, but what does that mean for the country you grew...
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What Scares Jason Blum? [Rerelease]
[rerelease]: On the premiere episode Joshua explores Spooky Season with Jason Blum (founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions), a man behind some of the most iconic horror films of the past decade — like 'Get Out,' 'The Purge,' and 'Paranormal Activity.' Discussed: the horror of reality, the…
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Dallas Goldtooth is Making Changes
Actor, writer, activist & organizer, Dallas Goldtooth, only got 3 hours of sleep last night, but he's up for a lively conversation with Josh. As "Spirit" on the FX series Reservation Dogs, Goldtooth subverts expectations and breaks down long-lasting tropes in American media. Discussed: Hell Let...
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Josh Versus the Professor
On today's episode, Josh is interrupted by an unexpected visitor.
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The Haters Don't Phase Rebecca Jennings
On today's episode, Josh is joined by the ever-insightful Rebecca Jennings, a senior correspondent for The Goods at Vox and a woman who isn't afraid to peer into the void. Josh and Rebecca cover the gamut of internet celebrities and influencers — from Kim Kardashian to Paris Hilton to Andrew Tate...
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Baratunde Thurston Explains Our Pain
On the show this week Josh is joined by the illuminating and hilarious Baratunde Thurston (host of the PBS show America Outdoors, Puck News writer, and all-around genius) to discuss... the total breakdown of information in the world. Baratunde and Josh take the listener on a sprawling...
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Leah Finnegan Puts Baby in a Corner
On today's episode, Josh is joined by longtime friend, collaborator, and Gawker editor-in-chief, the inimitable Leah Finnegan. Leah's adorable yet lethally uncouth dog Baby caused some disruptions early in the recording, forcing Leah to take drastic action to silence the creature (she put Baby in...
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The Out List
This is not Josh's favorite time of year; but we can still find some trends to look forward to in 2023. Discussed: Las Vegas, CDs, Dry January, The Twilight Zone
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Josh’s Ode to Joy
Well folks — that’s about it for the year 2022. But what a ride! Right! Right? There have been many things to lament this year, but it hasn’t been without its pleasures as well. Josh is saying goodbye to the year that brought us a reverse red wave, Alex Jones’ downfall, and multiple days of the...
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Penelope Scott and the Discourse Räts
Josh finally lets his inner fanboy out by talking to his favorite musician of 2022 — the one-of-a-kind genius Penelope Scott. After rising to fame and sonic virality on TikTok for her shockingly honest and extremely online songs, Scott went on to garner hundreds of millions of listens across the...
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You Can't Cancel Taylor Lorenz
In the age of femcels, proud boys, groypers, and C.H.U.D.s, one reporter is striving to make sense of it all. Her name is Taylor Lorenz, and her beat is literally the entire internet and all of the strange people who inhabit it. When she’s not discovering the next new thing in influencer culture…
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Elon Musk’s Nightmare is Casey Newton
Casey Newton is one of the best reporters in the world when it comes to getting an inside look at the triumphs and tragedies of the Silicon Valley elite. Lately he’s been something of a scoop machine about all things Twitter. From mistaken firings to panicked midnight emails, Casey has been...
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Heading Home with Anne Helen Petersen
As Thanksgiving approaches, Josh is thinking about the things that really matter in life, like family, health, and new gadgets for making sick beats. This is also a time to think about the communities we’re in — both near and far, and who better to discuss our life offline and on than Anne Helen...
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Vincenzo Natali's Peripheral Visions
Come for Josh's rant on the future of the internet, stay for his conversation with Vincenzo Natali, director of 'Cube,' 'Splice,' and your favorite episodes of 'Hannibal,' who has taken on William Gibson's reality-bending book 'The Peripheral' and turned it into electrifying TV. The two discuss…
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How Computers Dream with David Holz
What you’re reading right now was written by an artificially intelligent — though not sentient — neural network designed to write descriptions for podcasts. Or was it? You don’t know, and that’s what makes AI so fascinating, cool, and scary. Since Josh loves all of those feelings, he sat down…
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Life Offline with Jia Tolentino
Twitter is now owned by edgelord supreme Elon Musk, and Josh has many, many thoughts on the subject. To explore and dissect the coming post-social media world we're all about to live in, Josh sits down with New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino, whose book 'Trick Mirror' explored all of the ways...
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What Scares Jason Blum?
On the premiere episode Joshua explores Spooky Season with Jason Blum (founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions), a man behind some of the most iconic horror films of the past decade — like 'Get Out,' 'The Purge,' and 'Paranormal Activity.' Discussed: the horror of reality, the reality of horror,...
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Introducing: What Future
Coming October 27th, host Joshua Topolsky (co-creator of Vox Media and founder of The Verge) deconstructs modern culture, mining the surprising connections that make up our increasingly frenetic world. A heady mixture of fugue-state monologues and spontaneous, irreverent conversations with…
more
About this show
Host Joshua Topolsky (co-creator of Vox Media and founder of The Verge) deconstructs modern culture, mining the surprising connections that make up our increasingly frenetic world. A heady mixture of fugue-state monologues and spontaneous, irreverent conversations with experts, weirdos, and big thinkers, What Future is here to dissect our insane reality, lasso the pieces, and ride off into the sunset with your money, your woman, and your pride.
Hosted by
iHeartPodcasts
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