On the Al Franken Podcast, a five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer & producer joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator - So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy with a sprinkle of political comedy. With guests like Neil Kochi, Joyce Vance, Paul Krugman, and occasionally comedians like Sarah Silverman, Conan O'Brien, and Chris Rock,...

Suspect is an investigative series about mislaid justice and the kinds of weighty decisions that detectives, lawyers, and jurors make every day - decisions that, once made, are almost impossible to reverse. Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark follows Leon Benson, who spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the...

When Elon Musk posted a video of himself arriving at Twitter HQ carrying a white sink along with the message “let that sink in!” It marked the end of a dramatic takeover. Musk had gone from Twitter critic to “Chief Twit” in the space of just a few months but his arrival didn’t put an end to questions about his motives. Musk had earned a reputation as a business maverick. From PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX, his name was synonymous with big, earth-shattering ideas. So, what did he want with a...

The Generation Why Podcast released its first episode in 2012 and pioneered the true crime genre in the podcasting world. Now, in a special, 4-part series, The Generation Why podcast unravels the story of Kalief Browder. A young boy who was falsely accused of stealing a backpack and held without bail at Rikers Island for 3 years. He endured consistent abuse by prison staff and inmates, and was held in solitary confinement for more than seven hundred consecutive days. This is a story about a...

Keke Palmer has questions for days, about everything under the sun. From the existential to the inconsequential. From pop culture to pop science. From the meaning of life to the meaning of W.A.P. From life in outer space to “Where the eff is Tom from MySpace?“ And everything in between. Because baby, this is Keke Palmer, and she is here for All. Of. It. Each week, the multi-talented Keke Palmer is taking you on a journey down the rabbit hole on a topic that she cannot stop obsessing over....

In this final installment of the podcast, Van thanks the Uncommon Ground community for joining him on this journey.  Some doubted that anyone could do a successful podcast based solely on finding positive solutions, deepening understanding and bringing people together across lines of difference. But we're happy to report: measured by downloads, Uncommon Ground wound up in the top 2 percent of all podcasts! Our success with this podcast over fifty episodes has shown that people do respond to...

“Yes, the system is broken. But the solution lies not in dismantling it or burning it down, but in finding solutions that have been shown to work. We should focus on the bread-and-butter issues. Most rank-and-file Democrats are practical and not ideological. Most of them have no Twitter accounts. They worry about the cost of housing, healthcare, and higher education.”  Congressman Ritchie Torres is a pragmatic progressive who stands out among a new generation of leaders. He is often...

In this season’s final bonus episode, we wanted to make sure you got a chance to hear from some incredible young people who are trying to save the Earth. Last year, Van went to COP26 (the UN Climate Change Conference) held in Glasgow, Scotland. There he met with Jerome Foster, Kevin Patel, Chante Harris, Alexandria Villaseñor, Kevin Mtai, and others. These young people are doing extraordinary work advocating for progress on climate solutions — to ensure they inherit a livable planet....

It is exceedingly rare these days for two national voices on opposite sides of the political spectrum to come together and have an honest, respectful exchange of views. Many on the right believe that progressives want to abuse government power to punish them for their views. Many on the left feel under constant assault from the right. It is increasingly easy for each side to dismiss the concerns of the other. But in a democracy, we need to try to understand those who think differently than we...

In this special bonus episode, Van moves into the guest seat for an interview with comedian and author Chelsea Handler. The conversation took place in 2018 while Chelsea was filming her Netflix documentary: Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea. Chelsea’s goal was to explore the impacts of ‘white privilege’ on American culture. In the intervening years, the U.S. has gone through a racial justice awakening. But with so much progress still needed, this never-before-heard conversation is as...

“So many people in politics, they've all got opinions. My job is not to be about my opinions. My job is to go out and listen to other people's opinions.” What shot does Donald Trump have at re-election? What do Republicans really think about Ron DeSantis? How are people feeling about the Biden Presidency? What issues are really keeping Americans up at night? With her keen and unique insight, Kristen Soltis Anderson can help us answer these questions. As a top Republican pollster, Kristen’s...

"There's that quote: ‘First I was smart, and I tried to change the world. Then I got wise, and I tried to change myself.’ What I've leaned into now is: let me stop soap-boxing and telling everyone else what to do. And let me start looking at myself. I was a fraud in many ways because I felt that I had to represent the thing, but I didn't have to be the thing.” Adrian Grenier was an A-list actor who had it all, including fame, money, and influence. But even in the midst of great success,...

“I've seen situations, which are far worse than our situation, where the impossible became possible. I saw the Berlin wall come down. I was in South Africa in 1989 when Mandela was still in prison. And within six years there was an astonishing political transformation in South Africa. Even in the Middle East, Israel and Egypt forged a peace that endures to this day, 40 years later.” Tensions and polarization within the US are increasing. Many people are wondering: could we be heading toward...

This week, Van is joined by Arianna Huffington – renowned author, entrepreneur, media personality and one of Van’s most influential mentors. Arianna is no stranger to transformation. She was born in Greece, moved to England and eventually the United States. She's been a Republican and a Democrat. She founded the revolutionary media business The Huffington Post, and is now leading the behavior change tech startup Thrive. Arianna is a master of self discovery, reinvention, and doing work that...

“What am I going to do to create lasting positive transformation? Everyone has that opportunity. And I think everyone should recognize that you should not ever quit or doubt your ability to make something positive happen.” You might know Aloe Blacc as a famous musician. But did you know that he’s also an activist, a non-profit founder, and a biotech entrepreneur? Aloe proves that no matter what skill your known for, you just might surprise yourself with how much more you're capable of...

“What's being sold today is that one side is good, and the other side is bad. That one side is racist, and the other side is not. There's just nothing further from the truth.”  Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is up for reelection this fall. Many speculate that he will run for president one day soon. Scott is one of only three Black United States senators, and the only Black senator in the Republican Party. His unique tone, set of experiences and views on immigration differentiate him...

“Because there were so few people who looked like me in my business throughout my career, I've been so cautious about drawing attention to my ethnicity, to my gender. To bring these issues to the fore has been very uncomfortable, but necessary. I hope that I've inspired people in my own community to no longer be content to sit on the sidelines. It's been an incredible experience to see this community come together.” Lisa Ling is a beloved and gifted journalist and TV star. Since the age of...

“You have a bold generation now that you can tap into. Younger people. They are ready to go toe-to-toe with whomever on an idea that they feel passionate about. And a lot of the ideas could help us be the America that we claim to be.”  TikTok is becoming the social media home of a new generation of activists, while older folks debate politics on Facebook and Twitter. The rules and expectations are totally different on this newer platform. Nobody has found their political voice or footing...

“It is very clear that we are on the precipice – two years, three years, ten years max – that some of these disruptive technologies will fundamentally threaten the way we presently exist on the planet, in the way that nuclear weapons did when you and I were growing up. That transformation is scary, but it's also ripe with opportunity.” This week Van is joined by the brilliant Ian Bremmer. Ian is a political scientist who has spent his career analyzing global political risk and advising...

“To be queer and come out in 1985 when I'm 16 years-old, and be thrust into the AIDS crisis and fighting for our lives on the front lines…Silence does equal death...I don't know anything else, but to fight. I do understand that as a queer Black man in this space who has been unapologetic from the beginning, there is a responsibility for me to continue to speak my truth.” The incomparable Billy Porter does it all! He’s an Emmy, Tony, and Grammy award-winning actor, singer, producer,...

“While people are occasionally motivated to do wonderful things on the basis of their faith, faith generally speaking provides bad reasons to do good things when good reasons are actually available.” Can a Christian and an Atheist have a civil and constructive dialogue about the future? For the past 20 years, neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris has been one of the leading thinkers of the New Atheism Movement. Van Jones, on the other hand, is a man of deep Christian faith. Despite this...

“You have this phenomenal wealth-generation going on. Yet you still have so much of the country totally left out – half the country, if not more, thinking the American dream isn't gonna be available for their kids.” U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna is an uncommon Congressperson. He represents California’s 17th district – a district with one of the highest concentrations of billionaires in the country. But he is adamant that we should tax billionaires fairly. He represents Silicon Valley, yet he works...

“I do not have the privilege to be partisan.” Get ready for a strong dose of inspiration from Van’s guest this week - Brittany K. Barnett. When Brittany was 17 years old, her mother went to prison for drugs. Although Brittany may not have known it at the time, this awful breakdown would lead her to a powerful breakthrough. Hear about Brittany’s journey from accountant to attorney and finally, tireless criminal justice reform advocate. Brittany has won clemency for nearly a dozen clients...

“I am pro-life. But Roe is a 40-year-old legal precedent. Respecting the rule of law, means I accept the decision. I don't want to celebrate abortion, but I don't want to demonize it, either. I'm the majority. It has never felt so lonely to be in a majority.” S.E. Cupp is back – this time to discuss abortion. Van is a pro-choice progressive. S.E. is a pro-life conservative. One might expect fireworks! But in this episode, S.E. lays out a nuanced, sophisticated and emotionally intelligent...