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Better in Person with Stephen Dubner

Freakonomics Radio 1 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

In this podcast, Stephen Dubner invites remarkable people into his home for candid, free-wheeling conversations that go beyond their public stories. They talk, play, eat, drink, argue, and laugh, resulting in a shared discovery rather than a typical interview. The show aims to capture a more profound and curious dialogue.

Episodes

“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” Aug 18, 2026 00:42:39 The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan talks about confidence, luck, and why it takes 35 drafts to get to the finish line.

Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie Aug 11, 2026 00:53:25 When he joined the Del Fuegos, his big brother’s band, all Warren knew how to play was a record player. Things went great for a while — and then it all fell apart. So how did he wind up writing definitive books on Springsteen and Tom Petty?

What If Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? Aug 4, 2026 00:33:19 Angela Buchdahl was the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, and now she is among the most influential rabbis in the world. She and Stephen Dubner talk about boundary-crossing, the aftermath of October 7, and whether you can be a good Jew without believing in God.

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? Jul 28, 2026 00:43:52 Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace.

How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold Jul 21, 2026 00:47:59 Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well.

Introducing Better in Person with Stephen Dubner Jul 15, 2026 00:02:23 Everyone has a public story. Stephen Dubner wants the rest. On Better in Person, Dubner invites remarkable people into his home for a kind of conversation that’s hard to find: curious, free-wheeling, even profound. They talk, play, eat and drink, argue and laugh. The result? Less interview, more shared discovery. This is how a conversation works.

How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels Jul 14, 2026 00:42:52 Is the oxymoron really “the secret sauce to everything”? That’s the case Ingels makes in this debut episode of our new video show Better in Person, filmed in Stephen Dubner’s living room.

Trusting Your Senses Over Science, with Chef Hillary Sterling Jul 14, 2026 00:43:09 Hillary Sterling was a Brooklyn kid raised on cream cheese sandwiches and canned potatoes. So how did she become one of New York City's best chefs? The Ci Siamo executive chef explains on the second episode of Better in Person.

Better in Person with Stephen Dubner

Episodes

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