Technology · Virginia Heffernan and Cy Canterel

Omnishambles

by Virginia Heffernan and Cy Canterel

A podcast where two slightly deranged scholars pick one knotty problem in our political, cultural or technological life, and untangle it. omnishamblespod.substack.com

Chart positions

Where Omnishambles ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 16, 2026).

#181 NEW Technology US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I’ve loved Virginia Heffernan since the first trump admin with her great podcast, Trumpcast. This podcast is a bit more pessimistic than the previous iterations, but also more philosophical. The addition of Cy is a great companion to Virginia. I mourn What Rough Beast, but love the name Omnishambles. Hilariously, tragically accurate name for our times

the dr is in · Mar 2026

Smart, funny, and irreverent, What Rough Beast is exactly the podcast we need right now. Heffernan and Metcalf don’t just dissect the rubble—they find the strange glitter in it, asking the big, imaginative questions most shows don’t dare to touch. A must-listen.

LorettaDraper · May 2025

What happens when two of your favorite Slate podcasters get together? You get a great podcast for this moment. Like the best podcasts, the first act is like a conversation with your slightly smarter friends who perfectly articulate what is rattling around your brain (even when you don’t agree!). And the interviews are timely, helpful and well done.

aquamarinemom · May 2025

Listening that is well-paced thought-provoking intelligent insight into the subtext and implications of the issues of the day. Things we can’t bear to think about made bearable with cutting wit and as deep an examination as humans are capable of in podcast length. Celebration of our humanity. I’ve been looking for this for a long time.

jania2 · Apr 2025

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.