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Revisionist History

Revisionist History

Pushkin Industries 200 Episodes Aug 20, 2026

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.

Episodes

The Other Johnson and Johnson | From Planet Money
The Other Johnson and Johnson | From Planet Money Aug 20, 2026 1877 The Afro is one of the most iconic hairstyles of the last century. And one of its main ingredients was a product: Afro Sheen. But Afro Sheen did so much more than make Black afros shine. It was the money behind the television show Soul Train and it helped fuel the civil rights movement, all because of an entrepreneur named George Johnson. This week we're bringing you an episode from our frien
The Staten Island Problem - Part  5: Revenge of the Forgotten Borough
The Staten Island Problem - Part 5: Revenge of the Forgotten Borough Aug 6, 2026 2413 Election night 1993 meets election night 2016. The fate of the island and the country converge in the figure of one man: Rudy Giuliani.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part  4: Wu-Tang vs. Shaolin
The Staten Island Problem - Part 4: Wu-Tang vs. Shaolin Jul 30, 2026 1994 At the height of the secession movement, the Wu-Tang Clan forms on Staten Island. We take a tour of early 1990s hip-hop and reveal the hidden history of the group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part  3: The Tuvalu Effect
The Staten Island Problem - Part 3: The Tuvalu Effect Jul 23, 2026 1889 A group on Staten Island tries to stop secession, squaring off against the secessionists in a heated set of debates and meetings recorded on never-before-seen archival tapes. A set of debates best understood via a detour into the history of a remote Polynesian island.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part 2: A New Map
The Staten Island Problem - Part 2: A New Map Jul 16, 2026 1677 After the Supreme Court takes a close look at New York City government, Staten Island comes out the loser. A local artist begins organizing for secession. We take a deep dive into the psychology of the island, which has a lot to do with the largest garbage dump in the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part 1: The Mayor vs. the Borough President
The Staten Island Problem - Part 1: The Mayor vs. the Borough President Jul 9, 2026 2228 A riot, a voyage at sea, and a movement to break up the greatest city in the country. The first Black mayor of New York City faces off with the borough president of Staten Island and tries to hold his city together.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Revenge of "A Good Walk Spoiled"
Revenge of "A Good Walk Spoiled" Jul 7, 2026 2855 Ten years ago, Malcolm inveighed against the exclusive country clubs of Los Angeles in an episode of Revisionist History called "A Good Walk Spoiled." This November, thanks to a Los Angeles City Council member who heard the episode, Los Angeles voters will have the opportunity to take up Malcolm's cause. Today, Malcolm revisits "A Good Walk Spoiled," and speaks with Councilmember Adrin Nazarian ab
Coming Soon: The Staten Island Problem
Coming Soon: The Staten Island Problem Jun 29, 2026 203 On the 250th anniversary of the United States, Revisionist History investigates the overlooked story of New York City almost breaking apart as Staten Island threatened to secede.  Over the course of five episodes, The Staten Island Problem reconstructs the battle for New York City amidst the turbulent early 1990s — the rise of Rudy Giuliani, the peak of the homicide rate, the Wu-Tang Cl
Frankenfood | The Mistakes Series
Frankenfood | The Mistakes Series Jun 25, 2026 1928 Would a tomato by any other name taste as sweet? What about a steak? Malcolm sends Ben on a mission to investigate the cutting edge of food technology and two mistakes: one from the 1990s and one that’s unfolding as we speak.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise
Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise Jun 18, 2026 3010 Sharing Malcolm’s latest project, a podcast called Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise.  Imagine a time when the United States was split in two. And then had to put itself back together.  It was a time of chaos and sometimes violence as millions of people fought for the right to become citizens. Americans struggled over questions like: who gets to be a citizen? Who has the right
Revisited: Ms. Buchanan’s Period of Adjustment
Revisited: Ms. Buchanan’s Period of Adjustment Jun 11, 2026 1971 Revisionist History revisits an episode from season two and Malcolm tells the story of a phone call that set in motion a collaboration with President Barack Obama, which we'll preview next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Introducing The News from Scene on Radio
Introducing The News from Scene on Radio Jun 4, 2026 2523 Scene on Radio is a two-time Peabody-nominated podcast that dares to ask big, hard questions about who we are—really—and how we got this way. Their new season, The News, asks: what’s really wrong with the news? Some have called the news media the oxygen of a functioning democracy. But if that’s true, America’s lungs are in rough shape. Most Americans say they don&rsqu

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