I follow Revisionist History with the blind faith of any good disciple😂. Seriously, it’s simply the best podcast, incisive, educational, sometimes mind-warping or, at least, thankfully challenging our accepted sense of truth, and with a perfect dose of sarcastic humor. Just love it.

The new season is BRILLIANT. Such a smart and unexpected take on the 1936 Olympics told with humor and some crazy discoveries along the way. Best season in a long time!

Malcom Gladwell tries to sound smart, but he’s nothing but a politically partisan HACK. Just search for his performances on debate stages with real intellectuals.

RH was one of the best shows on the scene when it arrived. Just a few episodes every summer, and each was thought-provoking. I still get chills thinking of the end of the first episode of season…was it two?…when Malcolm framed the upcoming season as “climbing over the fence” of that Beverly Hills country club. Just great stuff. But lately, there’s been a decline in quality matched with an incline of advertising. Product placement masquerading as content. (“But why does there have to be a distinction?!” I can hear all the marketers shout.) The feed was overtaken by episodes of other shows, Malcolm interviewing T-Mobile (or some other telecom) executives about 5G data collection in F1 racing… even the advertisements in the show itself became arduously long-winded. Props to everyone at Pushkin for making money — good for you! You deserve it! But right now, things feel unbalanced, tilted too far in favor of ad revenue. It’s not a great look/listen.

Loved the gun series. Bet I have listened to the Gunsmoke cast half dozen times. “He is terrible at his job… should have been run out town”. What a great line. Thanks.

Used to be thought provoking. Now veering into two people (host, guest) very entertained by their own (not each others) thoughts and jokes, with a sly jerk to “you’re so cool if you get this” to the audience

Very good facts and lots of evidence. I used season 9 for a history essay and got an A-. I also love Malcom’s voice

Great podcast by knowledgeable, funny, and engaging Mr. Gladwell. I never thought a 30 minute segment on cars would keep my interest. But you did!! Season 9 on guns was riveting. Thank you for introducing me to Dr. Pratt. He is the definition of an American hero! Another standout for me: Lake Bell and sexy baby voice. I teach at a large public university and I hear “Frye” a lot. Glad I have a name for it. I hope you have many more seasons germinating in your fertile brain!!

One of the bestest everest.

Malcom used to be somewhat entertaining. Not so much anymore. Definitely don’t waste your time or money

It’s tough listening to someone who’s low information and ideologically captured spout nonsense about the dangers of exercise. What year is it again?

This feed is used for other shows, and the actual podcast lacks the depth of the first few seasons. Listen to the first few seasons, but don’t waste your time once you notice the drop in quality. I love Malcolm and his style, but this podcast has fallen off considerably.

Revisionist History is one of the most interesting and engaging podcasts. It's well-worth the subscription price! Highly recommend!

It’s not the best season…

I have read all of Gladwell’s books, many of his articles, and listened to all of his podcast. I could not finish one episode of season 10. What started as interesting, well-developed historical snippets has devolved into Malcom talking about totally uninteresting rejected ideas from Hollywood with unknown screenwriters. Oh yeah, the episodes are 20% ads now too, even the old episodes. Malcom grew a podcast from a base of curiosity and wacky history, interviewing obsessed scholars and experts. He pivoted hard to sponsored content, friends interviewing Malcom about his own books, and just stale ideas with high production value (see: The Little Mermaid episodes). I can’t think of a more distasteful capitalist way to turn away a fan base.

Started out as the absolute best pod out there. Over the years, Gladwell’s sole focus and concern is money. A recent 11 minute Pushkin pod had over 6 minutes of commercials. Not a typo… 6+ minutes of ads in an 11 minute pod. That doesn’t count a full episode that was a 30 minute commercial from Gladwell’s “friends at T Mobile.” Gladwell sold whatever integrity he had for a few more dollars. Deplorable

I heard about this show from an ad on one of my more regular podcasts and it was about how they were going to do a season and deep dive into the whole “gun thing”. Turns out it was only 6 episodes so that should have been a clue. The first episode on the matter was okay but there were some statements that made me raise an eyebrow but I decided to soldier on. Episode 2 showed the agenda almost immediately. The host targeted Justice Alito for almost direct ridicule claiming that someone from New Jersey couldn’t possible know anything about New York subways, that NYC is a safe city and focused on carrying, not the ownership which was the problem. He later tried to make the TV Show Gunsmoke somehow be factual and Dillon was a horrible sheriff because he “killed so many people” and that actual Dodge didn’t “have these problems because they hired a good lawman to protect the people”. That right there is where he went off the rails enough that I had to stop listening. The 2nd amendment is more than just having firearms for self defense and it is a right in this country to own one if you so choose. The Framers just fought a war for freedom mostly with Minutemen and they weren’t ignorant. This guy clearly has no trouble being loose with facts. Why would anyone trust his commentary when even the title suggests that things might be wrong. After all he mentions Marie Antionette’s “Let them eat cake” in an ad, when she never actually said that.

There was an advertisement for a gun store on this podcast. Nothing wrong with that for most podcasts. But this one just did a series on the need to get rid of guns. That seems a little hypocritical.

Meditate they said Headspace, Mindful, Daily Calm No, Malcolm Galdwell

What happened to the great show I discovered and enjoyed so much I subscribed, only to find the show is now nothing more than Malcom gossiping with friends? I can't even name the last episode that looked at a historical event, period, item, whatever, and provided a fresh perspective. The show has been reduced to "Live Chats" about who cares except the two people talking. I have not heard anything about history in what seems like an epoch. The show on the voice of airline pilots nailed to coffin shut. A couple of mentions referencing "The Right Stuff" do not come close to what this show used to be. Remembering Ohio, Guinea Pigs, doesn't help change the fact this show has become the Wrong Stuff. Please, Malcolm, Blink, for all our sakes, or say you are done with the show and now want to hang out and talk to your rich friends about rich people's stuff.

I’ve read Gladwell‘s books and recently decided to listen to this podcast. Despite the ads aimed at the well-to-do and economically advantaged, and Gladwell‘s often bougie editorializing, I liked learning new things, and found the episodes informative. Gladwell has held a place amongst those with diverse perspectives. But….maybe he’s not keeping pace with his younger contemporaries…? In reality, the show needs more perspective around modern mental health concepts. Gladwell chooses “expert” guests whose values are similar to his own linear and narrow understanding and do not represent an informed, progressive, or modern take on the the human condition. Good and bad here.

Pity. The content is good, but now too many ads. All are read by Mr. Gladwell, so it is a whole non-stop Gladwell, wall-to-wall bonanza. The content cannot balance out the Gladwell

As much as I find the content interesting, Malcolm Gladwell’s tone and speech cadence are just too annoying.

Aaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggggg!

Were anything ever to render me unconscious for an extended period of time, I can think of no more assuring voice than that of Mr. Gladwell to accompany me in my sleep. His dulcet tones make Revisionist History a joy. I could listen to him read a credit card user agreement statement with the same level of enjoyment as I find in any of this work. Dutch

I used to love this show. It was deep and introspective. Now it’s like every other episode is Malcolm sitting down to talk about something with an author promoting a book. Or Malcolm trying out electric cars who just HAPPEN to be the sponsors. I’ll keep listening, but I’m skipping the blatant sponsorship (I’m looking at you T-Mobile). Alan Alda is doing the discussion about AI better.

This used to be a good show & now is almost unlistenable. I just tried “The IT Revolution” & gave up after the first 5 minutes. It sounds like an infomercial. As others have commented, any worthwhile journalism has become buried under shilling for sponsors. I can understand that podcasts need ads to make money, but when the actual content & subject matter of the show becomes advertising, it’s just gross.

This show used to be good. Now it seems each episode is just a thinly veiled (or not so thinly veiled) advertisement for Verizon, Cadillac, T-Mobile or Marriott.

Going to echo another review. I love the topic. Malcolm Gladwell has a voice for radio and the topics are entertaining and informative. But, I really dislike the commercial format Pushkin uses. It’s weird to say “my good friends at t-mobile” they’re just a sponsor, probably not your friends. So just say “sponsored by a ground breaking/top-notch/reliable company”. (Also the Airbnb ad script is annoying: “oh la, I have a cottage on my land with an orchard”.) Otherwise, great show; cautionary tales led me here which in turn led me to several other great podcasts like “no such thing as a fish” and “the last archive”.

Malcolm, The TMobile executives were so lame and boring. You could have invited a donkey and I would have been more entertained. Apart from that everything else was amazing. Adam Grant is a show off. Goes to Harvard undergrad and plays the underdog victim. He could have acknowledged the resources he was provided at a young age. Instead he focuses on the things he lacked. Lame white privileged dude. Ajay

There are more podcast that are NOT related to this podcast then there are related to it. I hear enough commercials in this podcast, now the whole podcast is a commercial. Surprised you did not put a Cadillac commercial inside this Verizon commercial.

I used to love this show. It was one of the first podcasts I listened to. I’ve listened to every season. But it has turned into solid ads. Very little content.

I used to be a big fan of Revisionist history, but Malcolm has totally sold out. He insists on using the feed as a place to plug other shows/paid experiences, but actual Revisionist History episodes are few and far between. In the last couple seasons, he’s done a couple blatant money grabs where he’s teamed up with corporate sponsors to shill their product. It’s so blatant, so over the top, and so far from the reason I came to this show in the first place. After several years as a listener, I’m finally unsubscribing.

The first three or four seasons of this show were so good and then this show turned into a GIGANTIC ad. And that’s not me saying the show shouldn’t have ads but it now feels like the majority of shows are shilling for certain companies

Who hijacked my favorite podcast? Is Pushkin having money problems? What history has been revisioned with these episodes with T mobile execs touting all the “exciting business opportunities” of their 5G network?

This show could be sooooo good if it were just a show with an occasional ad. But its not, its a lot of sponsored content nonsense with an occasional good show hidden in there. It makes you question the rigor and independence of the actual shows.

I used to love Mr. Gladwell’s podcast. I loved how he would turn the world on its side and shake it. We need that. Now the feed is just long-form ads.

Dear Malcom Gladwell, I am a sincere fan of your work both the podcast and your books. But linking up with T-Mobile for this last one on the IT Revolution was beyond the pale. It was an exercise in making money. I’m still rating your show 5 Stars because it’s one of my favorites, but don’t go so blatantly commercial. Same goes for the LV Formula One episode—awful. Come back to us and be the Malcom we love.

Thank you for bringing to our attention another victim class among so many other victims. As the parent of two who attended Midwest state schools, I was impressed with the dining opportunities afforded on campus at any hour of the day. Was it cheap? No. Was it nutritious? There were many nutritional options. Where was the line longest at lunch, dinner and later into the evening? Dominoes and McD’s. Gladwell, your snake oil looking murky. Shake it up. The real story is the lack of value in a college education. Those who pay very little are still paying too much.

If you want to hear Malcolm’s motivations and what he considers journalism, watch his performance at the Munk Debate. Then you can determine if you want to waste your time on these stories.

The beginnings are so painful to listen too. Also they constantly talk over and interrupt each other which is really jarring.

Just here to say that if someone wants to watch the original fairy tale of the little mermaid (S6, E5-7) , there’s an animation that was made in the ussr. I know, but they made excellent animation for some reason. And not just the little mermaid; the cartoons very often have all the details that are missing from the Disney versions. They also animated stuff from a great deal of writers around the world. YouTube has subbed and dubbed versions 🥸

Used to love Malcolm too! Boy oh boy, I’m sure that you’re trying to convince me that $6.99 is indeed the price tag on my absolute aggravation with this podcast network. I’m afraid that’s incorrect. This is an official “bad experience” now. I really can’t throw money at it.

It is unfortunate that the Pushkin podcasts have become unlistenable. With some of the best content and greatest story telling in podcasting, they’ve become saturated with with impertinent and redundant advertising. To the point where there’s almost as much advertising as there is podcasting. And it’s the same looong ads over and over! I’m sorry I can’t afford to subscribe to every good podcast out there but I’m definitely being driven to the ones that don’t bombard me with the same five minutes of advertising multiple times within every single podcast. It’s really too bad, but I just can’t listen to that kind of shameless pandering to the bottom line over and over again. Let me know when things get cleaned up a little because the actual podcasts are great.

Remember, Malcolm is not a journalist, but an entertainment writer. He is especially effusive for any automaker who will pay his way. Pushkin puts out a few good episodes a year but you have to wade through the pay-for-play morass to find those nuggets. good luck, explorers!

Used to be insightful and thoughtful . But now? A sellout. Way too many commercials, and this last episode, with cringeworthy sucking up to T-Mobile? Makes my flesh crawl. Shame on you, Malcolm.

I generally hit unsubscribe when the ratios of commercials to content reach 1:6. Limit reached unsubscribed.

I was very disappointed with the last two seasons. It seems like they are advertising a car or technology company almost every episode. I guess I was expecting more intellectual dissection of historical events but it seems that talking about war and bombing upsets the majority of the listeners of this podcast when they are clearly fine with the Biden Administration sending endless amounts of money and weapons to bomb others.

This review is strictly for the episode on F1 in Vegas. As a whole i thoroughly enjoy this podcast and find it incredibly insightful and usually riveting. I especially loved the multi episode one on guns. So I was saddened to listen to the first half of the T-mobile sponsored podcast infomercial. I had to stop a little less than halfway through because in place of the usual excellent content it sounded like I was watching a late night tv commercial infomercial. I recognize the podcasts need to stay profitable to continue and depend on advertising and subscriptions, so clearly no quarrel with that. I was just bummed that a podcast episode I was excited to hear about crossed over into infomercial-land. Net / net - listen to the podcast it’s usually exceptional but skip that episode.

This was a great podcast with engaging stories. It is now a commercial. The last episode was a big commercial for T-Mobile. I wonder how much they had to pay to subject us to this.