Episodes

  • New Year, New Neighborhood
    Dec 24 2024

    The story of New Year's Eve in Times Square, and how a quiet group of unelected Manhattan property owners used the holiday — and their own undemocratic municipal power — to transform the neighborhood from its porn-theater-and-vice-rich past to its flashy, family-friendly present.

    New Year, New Neighborhood

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    34 mins
  • The Power Broker #12: Robert Caro
    Dec 20 2024

    This is the twelfth and final episode breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.

    We’ve waited until the evening to see how splendid the day has been, and for this final installment, there was only one guest truly worthy of the last slot: Robert Caro. This time, he discusses the book’s lasting legacy, parallels to today, and how he decided on the last line of the book.

    This week, Elliott and Roman also cover Chapters 47 through 50, discussing the major story beats and themes.

    To those of you who turned every page with us: thank you.

    If you finished The Power Broker with us (or know someone who did), get the 99PI Power Broker challenge coin to commemorate your achievement! Visit 99pi.org/store to get the challenge coin and other 99PI merch.

    The Power Broker #12: Robert Caro

    Join the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit.

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    2 hrs and 31 mins
  • Mini-Stories: Volume 19
    Dec 17 2024

    Cheeky highway signs, Jane Fonda’s surprising side hustle, a dynamite twist on legacy, and the Greeks’ ideal foot obsession—expect the unexpected.

    Mini-Stories: Volume 19

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    36 mins
  • The Flop House: Megalopolis, with Roman Mars
    Dec 10 2024

    Roman Mars and the Flop House team dive into Francis Ford Coppola's intriguing and controversial film, Megalopolis, exploring its chaotic narrative, ambitious ideas, and perplexing execution.

    Listen to The Flop House wherever you get your podcasts!

    The Flop House: Megalopolis, with Roman Mars

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    1 hr and 48 mins
  • The 15 Minute City
    Dec 3 2024

    How did the “15 Minute City,” a simple urban planning idea, spark protests, conspiracy theories, and death threats? This week, we unravel how a concept for livable cities became a global flashpoint.

    The 15 Minute City

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    37 mins
  • Raccoon Thanksgiving
    Nov 26 2024

    After Toronto unveiled its "raccoon-resistant" compost bins in 2016, some people feared the animals would be starved, but many more celebrated the innovative design. Rolling out this novel locked bin opened a new battlefront in city's ongoing "war on raccoons."

    Journalist Amy Dempsey was researching the bins and raccoon behavior when her reporting took an unexpected turn down her own garbage-strewn alleyway. Had local raccoons finally figured out how to defeat the greatest human effort in our “war” against their kind?

    This episode original aired in 2018.

    Raccoon Resistance

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    27 mins
  • Roman, Elliott, and Robert Caro: Live in Conversation
    Nov 19 2024

    What makes The Power Broker endure 50 years on? Roman Mars and Elliott Kalan sit down with legendary author Robert Caro to explore the humanity, drama, and untold stories behind his iconic book. Recorded live from the New York Historical Society.

    Roman, Elliott, and Robert Caro: Live in Conversation

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    45 mins
  • The Power Broker #11: Brennan Lee Mulligan
    Nov 15 2024

    This is the eleventh official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.

    This week, Roman Mars and Elliott Kalan sit down with Brennan Lee Mulligan, a comedian and host with Dropout TV, where he’s the creator of Dimension 20 — a Dungeons & Dragons show that features incredibly complex and campaigns, with improv actors and special effects. And as the Dungeon Master, Brennan leads these stories. Season three of Dimension 20 takes place in a magical New York City, where the main villain is a fictionalized, undead Robert Moses, who shares the real Robert Moses’s passion for building roads and destroying lives through bureaucracy.

    Elliott and Roman also cover the second section of Part 7 (Chapter 42 through Chapter 46), discussing the major story beats and themes.

    The Power Broker #11: Brennan Lee Mulligan

    Join the discussion on Discord and Reddit.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

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    2 hrs and 50 mins