I like the subjects which Ana Marie Cox talks about and the way she drills down into them. She’s a political junkie and apparently a movie nerd, who cares deeply about the direction our society is heading. She talks about difficult topics without catastrophizing or adding to the overall negative energy.

This pod is such a balm in this incredibly stupid season we’re all living through. Humane, real conversations with brilliant people. Ana Marie Cox is at the top of her game with this one and she knows how to curate a guest list.

Love your show, never miss it! Your guest today, Jane Coaston was awesome!

The conversation here is always intelligent, thoughtful and engaging and the guests are terrific.

Who better to process the day’s election cycle news than Ana Marie Cox. She brings years of wisdom, insight and humor into decipher the latest trends. Always accessible, without all the DC jargon, though she spent time in the trenches of DC. Fresh, open and honest. Look forward to hearing more!

I was so happy to see your new podcast pop up in my feed. I appreciate your thoughtful perspective and missed it very much. It’s particularly needed during this very challenging election season!

Happily surprised to see Ana’s new podcast in my feed! I have been a fan of Ana Marie Cox for years. Appreciate the intelligent conversations!

Really excited Ana is actively exploring this time period and bringing us along. She has a unique, sharp perspective that I have been missing. An important voice for important times!

Great that you will be one of the voices in this election cycle!

So glad to have you back! I always appreciate your point of view and am excited for the next 90 days an needed a pod!

So glad you’re back. :)

This was the best, best, episode. Learned so much and felt totally engaged as well.:)

Greatly enjoyed this episode, I too had a Maine coon mix cat, her name was Cooper Marie.She too was not the brightest cat I’ve ever had. But I loved her nonetheless as Brian does. Anna, I appreciate your insights, your gentleness, and your honesty. Long time listener first time commentor❤️‍🔥

that’s how i describe the listening experience. the host has such a way of making each conversation special and relevant. love to listen and learn alongside the host/guest.

Ana does a great job picking guests and asks the *exact* questions that I want to know the answers to. She does it clearly and concisely and it’s all very relevant 😄 I search high and low for quality social justice podcasts, and I found a good one here.

Smart and interesting

Not sure what happened. Normally find the insights to be interesting but that piece in the Atlantic about Hunter Biden came off like a finger wagging old woman clucking about the outfits the girls were wearing in church. Recovery is so much more than what you did or saw. Yea, we get you don’t like Hunter Biden lot in life but how bad is yours? Get thee to a nunnery.

I enjoy this podcast, especially the episode with W. Kamau Bell. Interesting guests, topics, and talk.

That’s all.

Always a thought provoking conversation and perspective

I appreciate the host’s kindness and passion. She’s truly interested in people and loving the world without defining people by their politics

Was NOT nominated for an Oscar though it certainly was worthy of one.

I listed to the ep with Tommy Orange about his book There There and thought it was upsetting. I’m tired of “well meaning white people” defending Liz Warren. The interviewer didn’t listen to what he had to say about the topic at all. Throughout the episode she was audibly afraid of saying the wrong thing as a performative ally, yet completely unable to listen when it really mattered. Cringe worthy.

A complex daunting topic. Solid first episode of the season and looking forward to more.

I am updating my review to reflect that I still enjoy this show. I got drawn in by how the doubts I had were echoed in discussion. I have stayed - even through an episode or two that I was less interested in - because the conversation has broadened, deepened, and focused through engagement with topics like conversion and forgiveness. Good topics, great guests.

I used to really enjoy this podcast, but 4 (long) ad breaks during a relatively short podcast? I’ve been growing more and more frustrated over this issue but today I’m just done. Listened to all 200 to date but have unsubscribed now.

Absolutely love this podcast! I feel like I’ve learned so much, and that this pod has truly helped me become a better person. I love the way Ana talks about Grace, and am always impressed with the kindness and empathy she brings to every discussion.

I’ve listened to the podcast for years and generally enjoy the different perspectives, but this last episode on weight watchers was abhorrent. I have used weight watchers twice in my life, my wife has used it on and off for twenty years. Attacking a company that is all about finding a healthy relationship with food and health that allows people to set their own goals and encourages them to find a place where they are happy with who they are that isn’t based on a number on a scale, because of an experience a child had twenty or something years ago, without allowing them to set the record straight about what their program is now is abhorrent. You should be ashamed of having published that episode.

I think you could change the title: to something like important story. Just a suggestion (I almost missed this, what if others do). Ali Schuback

January 2021 Update: Rebecca Traister always sounds incredibly unhinged, and this latest episode was no different. I don’t really know what to say, since this is clearly how she just is. But IDK, maybe think twice about having her on again. Very grating. How do you have your own podcast, let alone run an ad for another podcast (Nice White Parents) without knowing how to properly pronounce Chana Joffe-Walt? She has been on This American Life forever. I was teetering on the edge of unsubscribing for a while now, but this put me over the edge.

Latest episode was interesting but hard to listen to because Rebecca Traister was full-on yelling through the whole show.

The conversation was interrupted constantly by ads to the detriment of following the thread. I am not willing to endure that much advertising. Also, I have noticed the same issue with both podcasts I have tried and abandoned from crooked media that are hosted by women (I am a woman by the way.). I would suggest that those who wish to communicate in an audial medium listen to themselves and possibly do some voice work. Both podcasts featured hosts with admirable backgrounds and interesting guests, but the high pitched tone of their voices coupled with speed and a lot of giggling made it hard to listen to the content. Suggestion—slow down and explore the lower part of your vocal range. And drop the giggling. I feel like I am listening to a junior high school girl conversation.

The last “season” on converts was so incredible. I learned so much and it helped me have grace for myself, my family, friends, and QAnon-ites/racists/Republicans/etc. Sorry Republicans but you get grouped in there with those people so if that triggered you then maybe listen to the whole season. Start at May 15 2020. 🙏

I love Ana’s openness and vulnerability and point of view. This is a wonderful podcast.

That episode on the dangers of cable tv was awful. The first guest, especially, was nearly impossible to listen to. She was whining about Laurence O’Donnell and she was annoying inarticulate. “Um, ah, um....” Awful! She either had something to say or she didn’t. She couldn’t seem to decide if she did or not

Decent but way too many adds.

Great show from a thoughtful journalist whose bravery & openness is so necessary. Combine that with wonderful guests & you have an essential podcast! Bravo Anna Marie!

I applaud the across the aisle spirit of diversified guests but the inability of the host to hide the snarky disdain for an opposing view is a deal breaker. One and done.

If you want to hear hateful discourse, your there

I love Ana Marie Cox and her diverse guests. I always learn a lot from their insights, and have enjoyed this season’s conversion theme!

Ana Marie is a dear and she is a kind, intelligent soul who asks good questions and has great guests on. Love her openness and non judgmental posture.

Ana, I’ve loved your show for years and especially enjoy the conversion series. I also enjoy the Nice White Parents podcast that you plug. When you read the spot, Chana Jaffe-Walt’s first name should be pronounced “Khana,” with the gutteral sound. If that’s hard, you can make it closer to “h,” as the Anglicized version of the name Hannah does. It is not correct to pronounce the “Ch” like Charles. Thanks for your consideration. Ed Bernstein

Learning so much on this season of Converts. Thank you

This continues to be my favorite podcast. Ana Marie Cox brings a unique honesty and reflective insight into every conversation. I cannot recommend this podcast enough

I already liked much about this podcast but am really enjoying this season.

Ana has created a welcoming space for conversations everyone doesn’t have access to. Her discussions of faith in combination with activism is refreshing. As an able-bodied queer POC male I have been finding that the discussions on disability rights and visibility to be a good check on my blind spots. A note: you will be made uncomfortable, and that’s okay.* The episodes range from thoughtful and funny to research-dense and topical and everywhere in-between. She places easter eggs and delightful glints of snark (that I find more in British/international than US media) in the interstitial material (ads, outros, etc.). Highly recommended. *” But I'm good at being uncomfortable so I can't stop changing all the time” - Fiona Apple

I really liked with friends like these, but the converts edition’s last 3 episodes were about how an eccentric old woman became a bigot and used her money to hurt immigrants, how religious zealots manifested - I already know how those things happen, and it’s depressing and disgusting. At a time in our history where we have descended into fascism and violence by the police and an illegal federal occupying army, this is the absolute last thing I want to listen to. Everyone is dying of COVID, about to lose their homes and can’t feed their families. The immoral people spotlighted in this podcast are winning and just listening to how they have no consequences is demoralizing. Will not recommend, especially to all the other people I know who are even more upset and stressed than I.

This is one of my favorite episodes of this podcast!

Loving the adventurous paths the new season is breaking! Still, with all the welcome shaking up of format and subject, the show steadfastly cleaves to its core vision: to expose the humanity behind our politics, and to foster the relationship building required for truly progressive change.

Like the thematic approach. Hope we can hear from rick too :)