Question Everything

Host Brian Reed Confronts his Toughest Critic

We’re taking a quick break for the holidays, but in the spirit of New Year reflection, we’re sharing our very first episode of Question Everything.  Brian talks to fellow journalist, Gay Alcorn, who called his most well-known work – the hit podcast S-Town – “morally indefensible.” You can read Gay’s column here. Subscribe to our newsletter to read Gay’s full reaction to this episode.  You can listen to S-Town here.  If you’re having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help by dialing 988 or clicking here.  “Question Everything” is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory.  This episode originally aired on September 11th, 2024.

When Hollywood Tells The Truth - with the directors of Spotlight, The Staircase, Reality, and The Investigation

We’re taking a short break over the holidays and will be plopping in front of the TV to watch some movies and shows. Maybe you’re doing the same? Check out one of our favorite episodes of Question Everything, where Hollywood directors gather after hours at a wine shop to drink and commiserate. They talk about the perils – and power – that come when you’re straddling fact and fiction.  Featuring Tom McCarthy, who won an Oscar for Spotlight; Antonio Campos, creator of The Staircase for HBO; Tina Satter, who directed and co-wrote Reality starring Sydney Sweeney; and Tobias Lindholm, director and writer of HBO’s The Investigation. As we know alcohol is not always conducive to factual precision, so here are some corrections and clarifications from our fact-checker, Maggie. Though honestly the crew this time did impressively well! All we have is that the name of the New York Magazine story that inspired Tina Satter to dramatize Reality Winner is called “The World’s Biggest Terrorist Has a Pikachu Bedspread" (not “America’s Biggest Terrorist Has a Pikachu Bedspread”). And it was a National Security Agency contractor, not a former FBI agent, who alerted the FBI about Reality’s leak. Here’s the NY Mag story. And here’s a Vanity Fair interview with Sophie, the editor of The Staircase documentary. “Question Everything” is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. This episode originally aired on December 18th, 2024.

The Scammers and Smut that Sparked the Modern Internet

Over the past few months, our host Brian Reed has been reporting on Section 230 – the law that shields online platforms and websites from lawsuits and has shaped the way we get information today. Now, a bipartisan attack on Section 230 is taking hold in Congress. During a Senate hearing last week, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island called Section 230 “a real vessel for evil that needs to come to an end.” He and a group of senators are hoping to move forward a Section 230 repeal bill in time for its 30th anniversary early next year. In previous episodes, we’ve looked at how the law allows misinformation, scams, and deepfakes on today’s internet. Now, Brian goes back to the beginning: the mid-1990s when lawmakers created this law. And we see how a peculiar case in one New York courtroom ended up having massive consequences for the internet we know today. Also: an expert on Section 230 has some beef with Brian’s reporting.  Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Guest:  Jeff Kosseff, law professor and author of “The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet”

The Loophole That Could Keep the Epstein Files Hidden

By December 19th, the Department of Justice is supposed to release all DOJ and FBI files related to Jeffrey Epstein. But through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Bloomberg investigative reporter Jason Leopold has uncovered evidence of a secretive operation on the Epstein files that the FBI called the “Special Redaction Project.” That doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence about how much information will become public, does it?  Jason found that nearly 1,000 FBI agents were trained to review and redact the files, which included thousands of pages of documents, interview summaries, surveillance footage, search warrant photos, and more than 8 terabytes of digital evidence. The Department of Justice can withhold anything it claims is tied to an ongoing investigation – a huge loophole that could keep many of these records from the public.   But all hope is not lost. Jason also reported on a nearly decade-old FOIA lawsuit from a defunct magazine that could ultimately force the government to release more of the Epstein records.  This week, we’re airing an episode of Disclosure, where investigative reporter Jason Leopold and First Amendment attorney Matt Topic walk us through what we can expect when the deadline to release the Epstein files hits next week. Check out more episodes from the premiere season of Disclosure. Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Guests: Jason Leopold, Disclosure co-host and Bloomberg News investigative reporter Matt Topic, Disclosure co-host and First Amendment attorney

‘Let Him Hang Himself’

When the recent slate of Jeffrey Epstein emails dropped, one line immediately jumped out: “I think you should let him hang himself.” It was part of a 2015 email exchange between journalist Michael Wolff and his source, Jeffrey Epstein, discussing whether they should give Donald Trump a heads-up that Wolff had heard CNN was planning to question Trump about his relationship with Epstein. We dissect this startling exchange by talking with three journalists, who each had a different take on it – and what this sentence means for journalism, access, and the boundaries reporters might cross to get information. Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Guests:  Isaac Saul, Founder and executive editor of Tangle, a nonpartisan politics newsletter Susan Zakin, veteran journalist and Substack writer Tara Palmeri, The Red Letter Substack and host of the Tara Palmeri Show