Special bonus episode!
How did you spend your Sunday? I spent mine having a day of rest and worship, recording some thoughts about a recent media dustup that, for some reason, was making my head explode.
In the wake of the latest Epstein document dump, a smaller, unrelated story emerged that, to me, carried some of the same themes. It involved New York Times columnist Ross Douthat’s decision not to air an interview he recorded with journalist Seth Harp for his podcast Interesting Times.
After Harp accused Douthat of spiking the episode out of cowardice, a chorus of online commenters demanded the tape be released anyway—raw, unedited, or handed over to the guest—so “the people” could decide. (Douthat’s reply, which I also share in the monologue, is here.)
What interests me isn’t who won a debate no one heard, but the apparently widespread belief that audiences are entitled to everything that gets recorded, regardless of editorial judgment. To me, this seems bonkers, but a surprising number of people seem not to realize that interviews get scrapped all the time. I’ve done it myself, and here I explain some of the circumstances that led to it and why this is a sign of standards, not censorship.
And in the ultimate gesture of radical vulnerability (I only do this for you, my beloved Substack audience), I also tell a painful personal story about being a guest on Fresh Air with the legendary Terry Gross. Get your hankies out.
Housekeeping
✈️ As you’ve heard me mention, The Unspeakeasy is now officially coed and will focus on in-person events going forward. But don’t worry, we’re offering three women’s retreats this year. The first is in L.A. in April and is open for registration now. The others are on the East Coast in the fall, plus our big coed overnight retreat-a-polooza in October. Visit our retreat page for dates and more info.
🏍️ I am hosting Zoom hangouts for Founding Members on the last Sunday of every month at 8pm ET. The next meeting is Sunday, Feb 22. If you’re a Founding Member, you will get an email with the link. If you’re not yet a Founding Member, you can upgrade your subscription here.
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