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For years, social media companies have relied on an impenetrable first amendment protection to shield them from legal claims that their products are dangerous to children.But now, a cluster of plaintiffs are trying a different tact.Cecilia Kang, who covers technology, explains why these new lawsuits pose an existential threat to social media giants, and how those companies are likely to defend themselves.Guest: Cecilia Kang, a reporter covering technology and regulatory policy for The New York Times.Background reading: Here’s what to know about the social media addiction trials.TikTok reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit, avoiding the first in a series of landmark trials.Photo: David Gray/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The intense fallout from Alex Pretti’s death has forced President Trump to publicly change course in Minneapolis.The White House reporters Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Tyler Pager discuss the changes, and whether they are real or merely symbolic.Guest:Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Trump and his administration.Tyler Pager, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Trump and his administration.Background reading:Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol official leading an aggressive immigration crackdown, was pulled from Minneapolis as the White House tries to distance the president from the uproar over Mr. Pretti’s killing.Here’s how the Trump administration rushed to judgment in the shooting of Mr. Pretti.Republicans in Congress are shifting their tone after the killings in Minneapolis, criticizing Mr. Trump’s immigration push.Photo: David Guttenfelder/The New York Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Since December, the U.S. has been stopping and seizing oil tankers traveling in and out of Venezuela. They are part of what is known as a ghost fleet — tankers that try to secretly move oil around the world, funding states such as Venezuela, Iran and Russia.Christiaan Triebert, a reporter on the Visual Investigations team, explains what these ghost fleets are and why their days might now be numbered.Guest: Christiaan Triebert, a reporter for The New York Times working on the Visual Investigations team.Background reading: U.S. forces seized its sixth oil tanker linked to Venezuela.What are “ghost fleet” ships?Photo: Andy Buchanan/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Warning: This episode contains strong language.Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, on Saturday. It was the second fatal shooting by federal agents in the city during protests against a ramped-up immigration enforcement effort by the Trump administration.Devon Lum, from the Visual Investigations team, and Ernesto Londoño, who covers the Midwest, explain how the shooting unfolded and what may come next.Guest:Devon Lum, a New York Times reporter working on the Visual Investigations team.Ernesto Londoño, a reporter for The New York Times based in Minnesota, covering news in the Midwest.Background reading: Timeline: A moment-by-moment look at the shooting Mr. Pretti.Here’s what we know about the shooting.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Pop culture has not been kind to the Neanderthal. In books, movies and even TV commercials, the species is portrayed as rough and mindless, a brutish type that was rightly supplanted by our Homo sapiens ancestors.But even 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals walked the earth, we continue to make discoveries that challenge that portrayal. New research suggests Neanderthals might have been less primitive — and a lot more like modern humans — than we might have thought.The Times science reporters Carl Zimmer and Franz Lidz discuss recent discoveries about Neanderthals, and what those discoveries can tell us about the origins of humanity. On Today’s Episode:Carl Zimmer writes the Origins column and covers news about science for The Times.Franz Lidz writes about archaeology for The Times. Background Reading:The Year in NeanderthalsMorning Person? You Might Have Neanderthal Genes to Thank.What Makes Your Brain Different From a Neanderthal’s?The Neanderthal Inside Us Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The “Hamnet” director on trying to overcome her deepest fears — and open her heart.Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

There’s a lot of anxiety about artificial intelligence invading Hollywood; the general mood there right now could be called “doom and gloom.” But speculation about a future where A.I. actors perform A.I. scripts in A.I.-generated movies often obscures the role A.I. is currently playing in the industry.In this episode, the host Michael Barbaro talks with the Hollywood reporter Brooks Barnes and the movie critic Alissa Wilkinson about the ways that A.I. is already showing up in our movies and television today, and how they see it contributing to — and complicating — the future. On Today’s Episode:Alissa Wilkinson is a Times movie critic.Brooks Barnes is the chief Hollywood correspondent for The Times. Background Reading:Can You Believe the Documentary You’re Watching?Disney Agrees to Bring Its Characters to OpenAI’s Sora Videos‘The Wizard of Oz’ Is Getting an A.I. Glow-Up. Cue the Pitchforks.Is ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Sphere the Future of Cinema? Or the End of It? Photo: Roger Kisby for The New York Times Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The celebrated author on the challenges of being kind, the benefits of meditation and the reality check of death.Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture.This week, on our final episode of the podcast, we’re talking about movies. The potential acquisition of Warner Brothers by Netflix has dominated entertainment news in recent weeks, but the year in movies has been about a lot more than corporate mergers. Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic for The New York Times, and Nicole Sperling, a culture reporter based in Los Angeles, join Gilbert Cruz to talk about what really matters: the movies we loved this year.Movies discussed in this episode include:“One Battle After Another”“Sinners”“A Minecraft Movie”“Superman”“Weapons”“Wicked: For Good”“Zootopia 2”“Avatar: Fire and Ash”“Marty Supreme”“It Was Just an Accident”“The Testament of Ann Lee”“Come and See Me In the Good Light”“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” On Today’s Episode:Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times.Nicole Sperling is a reporter covering Hollywood for The Times. Background Reading:Netflix vs. Paramount: Inside the Epic Battle Over Warner BrothersThe 25 Most Notable Movies of 2025Best Movies of 2025 Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures; 20th Century Studios; Disney Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

In these final weeks of 2025, The Sunday Special is looking back at the year in culture.Today, we’re talking about the TV we watched this year — the best shows, the most popular ones and the ones that allowed us to just enjoyably veg out. Gilbert Cruz talks with the TV critic James Poniewozik and the culture reporter Alexis Soloski about the year in television.TV shows discussed in this episode:“Severance”“Common Side Effects”“Too Much”“Nobody Wants This”“Dying for Sex”“The Hunting Wives”“The White Lotus”“Dr. Odyssey”“Long Story Short”“Heated Rivalry”“Andor”“The Lowdown”“Platonic”“Pluribus”“The Pitt”“Adolescence”On Today’s Episode:James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The New York Times.Alexis Soloski is a culture reporter for The Times.Background Reading:Best TV Shows of 2025The Best TV Episodes of 2025Photo Credit: Apple TV+; Netflix; Lucasfilm/Disney+; HBO Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture.This week, we’re listening to the songs and albums that defined the year, for better or worse. Gilbert Cruz is joined by Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz from The Times’s pop music desk to discuss some of the biggest and best releases of 2025.Albums and songs mentioned in this episode:Bad Bunny, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”Lady Gaga, “Mayhem”Justin Bieber, “Daisies”Chappell Roan, “The Giver” and “The Subway”Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild”Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal”Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl”Morgan Wallen, “I’m the Problem”Ghost, “Skeletá”Dijon, “Baby”Geese, “Getting Killed”Water From Your Eyes, “It’s a Beautiful Place”PinkPantheress, “Fancy That”Lily Allen, “Tennis”Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”Sleigh Bells, “Bunky Becky Birthday Boy”Hayley Williams, “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party”Turnstile, “Never Enough”On Today’s EpisodeCaryn Ganz is the pop music editor at The Times.Lindsay Zoladz is a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of The Amplifier newsletter.Additional ReadingBest Albums of 2025Best Songs of 2025 Photo Illustration by The New York Times; From left, Angela Weiss/AFP — Getty Images (Lady Gaga); OK McCausland for The New York Times (Geese); Erika Santelices/Reuters (Bad Bunny); Helle Arensbak/AFP -- Getty Images, via Ritzau Scanpix (PinkPantheress) Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The first week of December at The New York Times is known as “Cookie Week.” Every day, for seven days, our cooking team highlights a new holiday cookie recipe. This year’s batch features flavors that aren’t necessarily traditional holiday ones — or even, for that matter, flavors. Instead, they draw inspiration from family night at the movies, drinks like Vietnamese Coffee, and perhaps most surprisingly, an Italian deli meat.In this edition of the Sunday Special, Gilbert Cruz talks with Melissa Clark and Vaughn Vreeland from New York Times Cooking about this year’s cookies, and they answer questions from readers about how to navigate cooking and baking during the holidays.Background Reading:These 7 Cookies Will Be the Life of Every PartyMelissa Clark is a food reporter and columnist for The Times.Vaughn Vreeland is a supervising video producer for NYT Cooking and writes the “Bake Time” newsletter.Audio produced by Tina Antolini and Alex Barron with Kate LoPresti. Edited by Wendy Dorr. Engineered by Rowan Niemisto. Original music by Daniel Powell and Diane Wong. Photo credit: Rachel Vanni for The New York Times.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The holiday season is here, which means it’s the time to think of great gifts for everyone on your list. While it can feel like a daunting task to choose thoughtful, personalized presents, we’ve got a fix for you: books.On this edition of The Sunday Special, Gilbert is joined by Joumana Khatib and Sadie Stein, editors at the Book Review, for a conversation about the best books to give your family and friends. Joumana and Sadie will share what excited them most this year and also provide recommendations for giftees in very specific categories.Books mentioned in this episode:“The Colony,” Annika Norlin“Perfection,” Vincenzo Latronico“Things: A Story of the 60s,” Georges Perec“The Bee Sting,” Paul Murray“The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” Kiran Desai“The Director,” Daniel Kehlmann“Playworld: A Novel,” Adam Ross“A Marriage at Sea,” Sophie Elmhirst“Entertaining is Fun!,” Dorothy Draper“The Thursday Murder Club,” Richard Osman“The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels,” Janice Hallett“Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes,” Roald Dahl“Mrs. Manders’ Cook Book,” Sarah Manders, edited by Rumer Godden“Halleluja! The Welcome Table,” Maya Angelou“The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life,” Pat Conroy“Les diners de Gala,” Salvador Dalí“Diaghilev’s Empire: How the Ballets Russes Enthralled the World,” Rupert Christiansen“Finishing the Hat and Look I Made a Hat,” Stephen Sondheim“Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run,” Peter Ames Carlin“The Uncool: A Memoir,” Cameron Crowe“The Gales of November,” John U. Bacon“The Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Ralph Waldo Emerson“Cats in Color,” Stevie Smith“Archie and the Strict Baptists,” John Betjeman“Stories 1,2,3,4,” Eugène Ionesco“Trip: A Novel,” Amy BarrodaleOn Today’s Episode:Joumana Khatib is an editor at The New York Times Book Review.Sadie Stein is an editor at The New York Times Book Review. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

“Wicked” was one of the biggest movies of 2024. It was culturally ubiquitous, a box office smash and an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Now, a year later, “Wicked: For Good” arrives in theaters to finish the tale of the complicated friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Can “Wicked: For Good” be the sensation that its predecessor was? Will it inject new life into a movie business that has suffered a historically bad business year? Will it satisfy the legions of “Wicked” fans who have been waiting to see their favorite musical brought to the big screen?Gilbert Cruz is joined by Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter for The New York Times who profiled the stars of “Wicked,” and Madison Malone Kircher, a reporter for the Styles desk and affirmed “Wicked” fanatic, to discuss what “Wicked: For Good” means for the movies. On Today’s EpisodeMadison Malone Kircher is a reporter covering internet culture for The Times.Kyle Buchanan is a pop culture reporter and serves as The Projectionist, the awards season columnist for The New York Times.Photo: Universal Pictures Additional ReadingAriana Grande Still Has Surprises in StoreThere Have Been Dozens of “Wicked” Interviews. Why Did This One Go Viral? Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

There was once a time when documentaries could be found only on public television or in art-house cinemas. But today, documentaries are more popular and accessible than ever, with streaming services serving up true crime, celebrity documentaries, music documentaries and so much more.On today’s Sunday Special, Gilbert is joined by The New York Times’s chief television critic, James Poniewozik, and Alissa Wilkinson, a Times film critic, to talk about the documentaries that are worth your viewing time. On Today’s Episode:James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The Times.Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times, and writes the Documentary Lens column. Background Reading:What ‘The American Revolution’ Says About Our Cultural Battles‘Come See Me in the Good Light’: The Sweetness After a Terminal Diagnosis  Discussed on this episode:“The American Revolution,” 2025, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt“The Alabama Solution,” 2025, directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman“The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst,” 2015, directed by Andrew Jarecki“Making a Murderer,” 2015, directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos“The Yogurt Shop Murders,” 2025, directed by Margaret Brown“The Perfect Neighbor,” 2025, directed by Beet Gandbhir“The Last Dance,” 2020, directed by Jason Hehir“Copa 71,” 2023, directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erkine“Cheer,” 2020, created by Greg Whiteley“Last Chance U,” 2016, directed by Greg Whiteley, Adam Ridley and Luke Lorentzen“Pee-wee as Himself,” 2025, directed by Matt Wolf“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” 2024, directed by Benjamin Ree“Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” 2025, directed by Questlove“Cameraperson,” 2016, directed by Kirsten Johnson“An American Family,” 1973, created by Craig Gilbert“Look Into My Eyes,” 2024, directed by Lana Wilson“When We Were Kings,” 1996, directed by Leon Gast Photo: Mike Doyle/American Revolution Film Project and Florentine Films Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This year has been a banner year for video games, with an abundance of surprise releases and unexpected hits.On this week’s Sunday Special, Gilbert Cruz talks with two fellow gamers — Zachary Small, a culture reporter, and Jason Bailey, an editor on The Times’s culture desk — about the state of the industry, the biggest releases and the games they loved playing in 2025. They also share their predictions for Game of the Year.On Today’s EpisodeZachary Small is a culture reporter for The Times.Jason M. Bailey is an editor on the culture desk, and oversees The Times’s video game coverage. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The only thing Gilbert Cruz loves more than celebrating Halloween is watching scary movies. And between the classic horror franchises that span decades and the prestige original films of the current moment, he has seen hundreds of them. On today’s episode, Gilbert puts his knowledge to use in conversation with his fellow horror aficionados Jason Zinoman and Erik Piepenburg. They comb through a century of spooks, frights and screams to crown the Top 10 franchises in cinema history. Horror franchises discussed on this episode:“A Nightmare on Elm Street”“A Quiet Place”“Alien”“The Amityville Horror”“Candyman”“Child’s Play”“The Conjuring”“The Exorcist”“The Evil Dead”“Final Destination”“Friday the 13th”“Halloween”The Hannibal Lecter films“Hellraiser”“The Hills Have Eyes”“Insidious”“Jaws”“Night of the Living Dead”“The Omen”“Paranormal Activity”“Phantasm”“Poltergeist”“Psycho”“The Purge”“The Ring”“Saw”“Scream”“Terrifier”“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”The Universal monster films“V/H/S” On Today’s Episode:Jason Zinoman is a critic at large for The Times and the author of “Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror.”Erik Piepenburg covers culture for The Times, and writes a monthly column about horror movies.Additional Reading:25 Jump Scares That Still Make Us JumpFive Horror Movies to Stream Now‘Good Boy’ Review: Sit. Stay. Scream. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

On Friday, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” will be released in theaters. Rather than chronicling Bruce’s entire life, the film focuses on the making of his stripped-down 1982 album “Nebraska” and on his concurrent mental health struggles.This movie is the latest in a long history of musician biopics featuring stars like Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Eminem and Elvis Presley. Hollywood clearly loves telling the stories of influential artists.In this episode, Gilbert Cruz chats with Lindsay Zoladz, a pop music critic for The Times, and Joe Coscarelli, a Times culture reporter, about the tropes of the genre and their favorite films that break the mold.On Today’s Episode:Lindsay Zoladz, a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of The Amplifier newsletter.Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter at The Times and co-host of “Popcast.”Additional Reading:The Boss Finally Gets a Biopic, Just Not the One We ExpectedHe’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.Why Music Movies Stink: ‘Back to Black’ + ‘The Idea of You’ ReactionsJoe Coscarelli’s “Bobby + Joanie” playlistPhoto: 20th Century Studios Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Broadway represents some of the best and most exciting of what American theater has to offer. But for many people, it’s inaccessible. Whether because of geography, cost or other considerations, most people will never sit in a Broadway theater and experience a play or a musical in person.For years, cast recordings have offered a way to experience Broadway shows at a remove. And now, in the streaming era, some Broadway shows are making themselves available to be watched remotely, in movie theaters and on television. Distance and expense aren’t the impediments they once were to culture lovers looking to experience world-class theater.In this episode, Gilbert Cruz talks with Jesse Green and Elisabeth Vincentelli, two of The New York Times’s culture writers, about new ways to experience some of the joys of theater from the comfort of your own home. On Today’s Episode:Jesse Green is a Culture correspondent, focusing primarily on the fine arts, including theater, classical music and art.Elisabeth Vincentelli writes about culture for The Times. Background Reading:Want to Listen to Musical Cast Albums? Our Top 10 Desert Island PicksTheater to Stream: Mark Rylance in ‘Twelfth Night,’ and MoreTimes Theater Fans on Their Favorite Musical Cast Albums Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Inset: Disney+ Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Amusement parks are enduring vacation destinations for American families. The rides, the long lines for rides, the concessions, the long lines for concessions — these are practically familial rites of passage. Theme parks are also enormous moneymakers, with industry leaders such as Disney and Universal earning billions of dollars each year from their parks.In this episode, Gilbert Cruz chats with Brooks Barnes, who writes about show business (including theme parks), and Mekado Murphy, a film editor and thrill-seeker who reports on roller coasters. They talk about the state of the contemporary amusement park and the ups and downs of roller coasters around the world.On Today’s Episode:Mekado Murphy is the assistant film editor for The New York Times, and its unofficial roller coaster correspondent.Brooks Barnes covers Hollywood for The New York Times.Background Reading:Riding Your Way Through Epic UniverseSee the Real Live Man Who Grew Up in a CarnivalPhoto: Business Wire/Associated Press  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.