The Best People with Nicolle Wallace

4d ago

It takes a rare kind of brilliance to be universally funny, and Leslie Jones is Exhibit A. With the release of her new comedy special "Life: Part Two”, the Emmy-award winning SNL alum joins Nicolle — who she affectionately calls “Nickkkaaay!” — for a conversation packed with candor, irreverence, and unadulterated hilarity. Whether she’s calling out the narcissism fueling our leaders or recounting how she noticed Donald Trump’s famously small hands on the set of SNL, Jones dives headfirst into comedy’s singular power to expose political absurdity. While she laments the current state of Trump’s America, she urges people to reject complacency and reclaim the moment. Buckle up for a sharp, no-filter episode with one of the country's most adored comedians. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 8

With the backdrop of intensifying scrutiny over the Trump administration's boat strikes, Nicolle’s friend and colleague Rachel Maddow returns — this time with a chilling piece of American history in hand. Rachel’s latest podcast, “Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order”, examines one of the most astonishing chapters in American history: the U.S. government’s decision to forcibly target, detain, and uproot innocent Japanese American citizens during World War II. Maddow holds a spotlight on the people in power who put internment into action, enabling this dark stain on American history. In this episode, she and Nicolle zero in on the sobering parallels to our politics today, and Maddow urges citizens not to wait for someone else to show up, but rather, “ wherever you are, however you're feeling, if you know something's wrong, you should stand up any way you can.” Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 1

Claire Danes knew she was destined to act at five years old, and audiences have felt that certainty ever since – from her turn as Angela Chase in the cult favorite series “My So-Called Life” to the iconic Carrie Mathison in “Homeland,” her devotion to her craft has delivered some of television’s most compelling characters. Her latest work in Netflix’s “The Beast in Me” is no different, with Danes playing a grieving mother who finds purpose through a dangerous connection with her mysterious neighbor, played by Matthew Rhys. In this episode, Nicolle and Claire explore Claire's evolution as an actor, how she navigates life in the public eye, and the joy of raising children in New York City – the place she grew up calling home. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 24

"Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order" is the story of one of the most shocking decisions in American history: the executive order to target and round up innocent citizens, Japanese Americans, at the outbreak of World War II. This six-episode narrative podcast will examine and shed new light on how that policy came to be, who was behind it, who attempted to stop it, and the heroism needed to end the policy for good. Listen to the trailer here and search for “Burn Order” to follow the show. The first two episodes drop December 1st. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 24

Since the government shutdown ended, there’s been a renewed focus on releasing the Epstein files. And after the House and Senate voted to compel the Justice Department to make the files public, President Trump signed the bill, beginning a 30-day countdown to their release. With this as a backdrop, we thought it would be a good time to re-up an episode of "The Best People" we released back in mid-September with Jess Michaels and her lawyer, Jennifer Freeman. This episode was originally recorded on September 9th. At 22 years old, Jess Michaels was thriving. She was finding success as a dancer and model in New York City. Then, in 1991, she met Jeffrey Epstein. Jess Michaels was sexually assaulted by Epstein and it destroyed her stability, her career and her health. After doing the work to begin healing from this trauma, she has found renewed purpose as an advocate alongside other survivors of Epstein's abuse. The day after excerpts from Epstein’s 50th birthday book were made public, Jess joined Nicolle to call out the decades of institutional cowardice, and with a warning for elected leaders: Jess and her fellow survivors are not going away, and they are not going to stop until they get accountability, truth and justice. A note to listeners: this episode contains discussions around sexual assault. Please listen with care. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 17

As an American historian and history professor at Boston College, Heather Cox Richardson muses, “ I don't predict the future, I predict the past.” But there is a reason that her renowned “Letters From an American” Substack has the most subscribers of anyone on the platform: Cox Richardson’s ability to apply the lessons from our nation’s history to the politics of our present. And she sees a significant realignment happening in our democracy right now. In this episode, Heather zeroes in on the growing conflict between the citizenry and an executive branch that shows a bent toward aristocracy over democracy. She also points to progress, as Americans are waking up to the power they hold and finding their agency to say, in her words, “Hell no.” Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 10

Scott Galloway — affectionately known as “Prof G” to his legion of podcast followers — is deeply concerned about young men in America. In his new book “Notes on Being a Man,” he reflects on how a lack of economic viability and social connection has created powerful headwinds that make the experience of young men today far different from his own. Scott joins Nicolle to share his analysis of several careening crises at play, from the intentionally isolating effects of social media to a stark imbalance in generational income, while the crushing costs of everyday life pile up. With his entrepreneurial spirit and data-driven approach, Galloway isn’t just diagnosing problems — he’s mapping a way forward. Blending personal life experiences with research, he delivers a conversation that’s candid, introspective, and unmistakably “Prof G.” Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 3

“Pod Save America” began as a way to “narrow the distance” between the conversations former Obama White House staffers were having in private and the ones echoing throughout the public sphere. And since launching in 2017, it’s become a force in America’s competitive media culture. As two of the three co-founders behind Crooked Media, Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor are ushering in a new era of political communication, championing a craft many Democratic lawmakers might learn from – one that threads entertainment and information, and turns audience engagement into activism. They join Nicolle to talk about the stakes of the November 2025 election, what it would take for new Dem leaders to emerge, and what lessons they carry from their former boss, President Obama. For more from the “Pod Save” world, be sure to revisit Nicolle’s conversation with Tommy and Jon’s co-host, Jon Lovett, over the summer. And if you want to catch them live, tickets are on sale now for Crooked Con , happening November 6th and 7th in Washington DC! Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.