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Without Fail

Candid conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, visionaries of all kinds—about their successes, and their failures, and what they learned from both. Hosted by Alex Blumberg, from Gimlet Media.

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September 15, 2020

Introducing Michelle Obama and Her Mentees

What's it like to have Michelle Obama as your mentor? In this preview of The Michelle Obama Podcast, she sits down with some of her mentees to talk about the fear of failure, working in the White House and what it's like to be a Black woman in the workplace. Listen to the rest at spotify.com/themichelleobamapodcast.

August 21, 2020

Introducing How to Save a Planet

Does climate change freak you out? Want to know what we, collectively, can do about it? Us too. How to Save a Planet is a podcast that asks the big questions: what do we need to do to solve the climate crisis, and how do we get it done? Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and scientist and policy nerd Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, as we scour the Earth for solutions, talk to people who are making a difference, ask hard questions, crack dumb jokes and — episode by episode — figure out how to build the future we want.

April 20, 2020

How Megan Phelps-Roper Left the Westboro Baptist Church

As the granddaughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, Megan Phelps-Roper was raised in a culture of hate. Her family was known for their hateful rhetoric and practice of picketing the funerals of gay people and soldiers. For more than 20 years, Megan didn't imagine a life outside the church—until she got a Twitter account.

April 13, 2020

What's Happening Around Gimlet: Every Little Thing - Essential Workers Call In

We’re taking a break from in-studio interviews to social distance. During this time, we’re going to share our favorite Gimlet episodes about Coronavirus. This week we’re bringing you 'Essential Workers Call In' from Every Little Thing. Host Flora Lichtman speaks with listeners who deliver packages, stock shelves and drive buses about how their lives have changed during the pandemic.

April 6, 2020

What’s Happening Around Gimlet: Reply All - The Attic and Closet Show 2

We’re taking a break from in-studio interviews to social distance. During this time, we’re going to share our favorite Gimlet episodes about Coronavirus. This week we’re bringing you “The Attic and Closet Show 2” from Reply All. Reply All hosts Alex and PJ are recording in their respective attic and closet (hence the name) and breaking away from the normal, heavily reported show format to take calls from listeners and find out how everyone is doing

March 30, 2020

What's Happening Around Gimlet: Science Vs - Will Chloroquine Save Us?

We're taking a break from in-studio interviews to social distance. During this time, we're going to share our favorite Gimlet episodes about Coronavirus. This week, we're bringing you "Will Chloroquine Save Us?" from Science Vs. Science Vs is a show that pits facts against fads and fiction. In this episode, they uncover if chloroquine, the anti-malarial drug works and whether or not it's dangerous by talking to doctors, scientists and academics.

March 16, 2020

The Secret to Writing a Children’s Book

Everyone thinks they can write a children’s book, but very few people actually can. Abby Hanlon, the author and illustrator of the beloved Dory Fantasmagory series, describes her unusual creative process—it involves eavesdropping and bribery.

February 17, 2020

The Church of John Green

For years, John Green made a comfortable living as a writer and YouTube host, nestled right where he wanted to be: between obscurity and celebrity. But then he published The Fault in Our Stars and catapulted to fame. And being famous proved harder than he could have ever imagined.

February 3, 2020

Introducing Motherhacker

This week, we're sharing the first episode of Motherhacker. It's a fiction podcast about a mother who gets involved in an identity theft ring in order to support her family. The series stars Carrie Coon, Pedro Pascal, Alan Cumming, Lucas Hedges, Tavi Gevinson and Alex Goldman.

January 20, 2020

The Secret Early Lives of Sam Esmail (Rebroadcast)

Director and screenwriter Sam Esmail’s TV series Mr. Robot was an immediate hit when it premiered in 2015, turning him into one of the most in-demand showrunners in Hollywood. But he didn’t have an easy path to that point. Sam was 38 by the time Mr. Robot launched. He’d worked all kinds of jobs -- including a stint as a startup founder -- and seen all kinds of setbacks. Sam tells Alex about the stuff that came before, and about why he couldn’t quit trying to make movies, even when success was a long way off.

December 16, 2019

The Woman Who Took On Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics

For years, Larry Nassar, the team doctor for USA Women’s Gymnastics, sexually assaulted his patients under the guise of medical treatment. And that abuse might have continued had it not been for one woman: Rachael Denhollander.

December 9, 2019

Michelle Phan: The Original Internet Influencer

Michelle Phan became a viral sensation when she began posting beauty tutorial videos in the early days of YouTube. As YouTube's popularity grew, Michelle kept pace, racking up millions of views — and millions of dollars. But then, at the peak of her fame and fortune, she disappeared without a word.

December 2, 2019

How Earlonne Woods Podcasted His Way to Freedom

When Earlonne Woods was sent to prison in the late 1990s, there was a good chance he’d never walk free again. But then he made a visit to the media center at San Quentin State Prison. And that changed everything.

November 18, 2019

The 32 Seconds that Changed This Mayor’s Life

Normally, being the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, means paying attention to everyday issues, from garbage pickups to municipal budgets. But in the early morning hours of August 4, 2019, a gunman opened fire at a downtown bar in the city, and Nan Whaley’s role as mayor immediately shifted. She found herself thrust into the national spotlight as all eyes turned to Dayton. And it wasn't long before she was face-to-face with President Donald Trump.

November 11, 2019

Introducing How’s Work? with Esther Perel

This week, we’re sharing the first episode of Esther Perel’s new show How’s Work? In it, the couples therapist behind the beloved show Where Should We Begin? sits down with coworkers, cofounders and colleagues, and brings her inimitable perspective to workplace relationships and conflicts.

November 4, 2019

The Man Who Changed the Future of Florida Elections

When Desmond Meade got out of prison after serving time for a nonviolent felony, he was homeless and wrestling with addiction. A decade later, he started a campaign that very few people thought was winnable: amending the Florida constitution to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions. His unusual path to success on this politicized issue? Avoid politics, and appeal to principles.

October 21, 2019

Ira Glass: The Man Who Launched a Thousand Podcasts (Rebroadcast)

In November 1995, Ira Glass quietly launched the first episode of This American Life. The rest, as they say, is history. Today his show is a colossal success and Ira Glass is a household name. But in the intervening two decades, Ira has left an indelible mark on the industry by helping to shape hundreds of podcasts as well as hundreds of podcasters — including Alex. On this episode, Alex sits down with his mentor and former boss to talk about the early days at This American Life, what Ira taught Alex, and how being a good boss means learning to set people free.

October 14, 2019

Nick Kroll Gets Out of Character

Comedian Nick Kroll became a star by playing a cast of over-the-top characters like Bobby Bottleservice and Gil Faizon. But for years he was careful to keep his own story out of his comedy. Now, with his hit show Big Mouth, Nick is taking on his most challenging material yet: his adolescence.

October 7, 2019

The Cyclist Who Blew the Whistle on Doping

Jonathan Vaughters was a member of the famed USPS pro cycling team when his teammate Lance Armstrong won the first of a record-breaking seven straight Tours de France. While fans were awed and inspired by the victories, Jonathan knew there was something else fueling those wins: performance enhancing drugs — something the entire team was using, including himself. The deception weighed heavy on his conscience, and Jonathan found himself at a crossroads: live with the lie or come clean and become a traitor to his friends, colleagues, and the most powerful man in cycling, Lance Armstrong.

September 23, 2019

How Coming Out Made Shane McAnally a Nashville Star

Ever since he was young, Shane McAnally knew he wanted to be a country music star. But as a gay man, he didn’t fit the Nashville mold, and so he hid his true identity for years as he struggled to break through. Little did he know that coming out would prove the key to his success. We created a playlist of Shane McAnally hits, from artists like Kenny Chesney and Kacey Musgraves. You can find it at