

The Daily Zeitgeist
iHeartPodcasts
There’s more news and less comprehension today than any historical period that didn’t involve literal witch trials, and trying to stay on top of it all can feel like playing a game of telephone with 30 people, except everyone’s speaking at the same time and like a third of them are openly racist for some reason. From Cracked co-founder Jack O’Brien, THE DAILY ZEITGEIST is stepping into that fray with some of the funniest and smartest comedic and journalistic minds around. Jack and co-host Miles Gray spend up to an hour every weekday sorting through the events and stories driving the headlines, to help you find the signal in the noise, with a few laughs thrown in for free.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 4, 2025 • 25min
Daylight Trending Time 11/14: Dick Cheney, Trump/SNAP, Midterm Elections
In this edition of Daylight Trending Time, Jack and Miles discuss the passing of world-class war criminal: Dick Cheney, Trump threatening to defy judges' orders on SNAP benefits, a check-in on Election Day and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 4, 2025 • 1h 7min
The Hug Heard Round The World, Mariah “Pinkerton” Carey 11.04.25
In episode 1958, Jack and Miles are joined by artist and musician, Janie Danger, to discuss… 9% of NYC Will Self Rapture If Mamdani Wins!!! What’s The Deal With Erika Kirk And JD Vance? Mariah Carey Announces Christmas Season By Union Busting Santa’s Elves, New Lorre Lore…Chuck Lorre (Big Bang Theory, Two And A Half Men) Wrote The TMNT Theme and more! Erika Kirk: “No one will ever replace my husband, but I do see some similarities of my husband in JD” J.D. Vance, Erika Kirk at University of Mississippi Mariah Carey Announces Christmas Season By Union Busting Santa’s Elves Mariah Carey Declares ‘It’s Time’ for the Holidays in True Diva Fashion with an Elf Showdown and a Festive New Collab: Watch Chuck Lorre on writing the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" themesong The Prolific Sitcom Producer Who Wrote the Theme to ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ LISTEN: Coming Home by PachymanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 3, 2025 • 43min
I Left My Trends Back Home… 11/3: Trump, 'Great Gatsby' Party, SNAP Benefits, Julia Fox/Jackie O, Kash Patel, Prince Andrew
In this edition of I Left My Trends Back Home…, Jack and Miles discuss their respective weekends, Trump hosting a 'Great Gatsby' party hours before SNAP benefits lapse, Julia Fox's interesting Jackie O costume, Kash Patel thwarting a "Halloween terror spot" and using a gov't jet for date night, Prince Andrew getting kicked out of Windsor Castle and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 2, 2025 • 1h 3min
Weekly Zeitgeist 405 (Best of 10/27/31 - 10/31/25)
The weekly round-up of the best moments from DZ's season 412 (10/27/31 - 10/31/25)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 31, 2025 • 1h 6min
SPOOKlear Weapon Testing, Why R U Scared Of CLOWNS?! 10.31.25
In episode 1957, Jack and Miles are joined by actor and screenwriter, Dani Fernandez, to discuss… Trump Decides To Bring Back Nuclear Weapon Testing, Nobody Wants To Live In Donald Trump’s “Haunted” Childhood Home, This Is Why People Will Never Stop Being Afraid Of Clowns and more! Trump Decides To Bring Back Nuclear Weapon Testing Russia Says It Didn’t Test Nuclear Weapons, but Would if the U.S. Did If the US resumes nuclear weapons testing, this would be extremely dangerous for humanity Nobody Wants To Live In Donald Trump’s “Haunted” Childhood Home President Trump’s childhood home in NYC sells at steep discount — after being overrun by feral cats Is the White House haunted? Spooky stories reveal a history of the supernatural Airbnb listing for Trump's childhood home boasts it's where the president was 'likely conceived' The Haunting of Donald J. Trump The Chilling History of Creepy Clowns This Is Why We’re Afraid of Clowns Fear of clowns: An investigation into the prevalence of coulrophobia in an international sample Creepy Clowns Appear in Cities Around the Globe to Promote HBO’s ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Stephen King’s ‘It’ Movie Producer Denies Creepy Clown Sightings Are Marketing Stunt New Spoiler Details for ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Revealed ‘Weapons’ Once Had a Whole Chapter About That Crucial, Mystery Character The great clown panic of 2016: ‘a volatile mix of fear and contagion’ LISTEN: Words I Should've Said feat. ENNY by Mick Jenkins & EMILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 30, 2025 • 33min
PolterZeitgeist 10/30: Midterm Elections, 6-7, A.I. 'Friends', Kat Abughazaleh, Google Trends Halloween Costumes
In this edition of PolterZeitgeist, Jack and Miles discuss the upcoming midterm elections, "6-7" entering the lexicon, that AI 'Friends' video, Feds charging Kat Abughazaleh with conspiracy for… protesting, Google Trends 2025 list of top Halloween costumes and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 30, 2025 • 1h 2min
Why The Scream Mask Is King, Nuremberg Trials In The MCU? 10.30.25
In episode 1956, Jack and Miles are joined by actor, improvisor, comedian and founder of Sweet Tea Studios, Douglas Widick, to discuss… Maybe Don’t Give Nazis The Superhero Movie Poster Treatment? Amazon To Go On AI-Inspired Layoff Spree, Why Is The Ghostface Mask So Iconic? And more! ‘Nuremberg’ Trailer: Göring & Other Surviving Nazi Leaders Face International Judgment The King's Man credits scene explained: How does it link to real-life history? Amazon To Go On AI-Inspired Layoff Spree Amazon just cut 14,000 jobs, and it’s not done Why Amazon’s Automated Hiring Tool Discriminated Against Women The Origin Of The Ghostface Mask In Scream Is Delightfully Mundane MTV’s Terrifying Mistake? Wes Craven Explains Why the Original ‘Scream’ Mask Is Too “Perfect” to Scrap Loren’s Ghost: The Haunted History Of The SCREAM Mask LISTEN: Jumpy! by PachymanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 29, 2025 • 40min
The Texas Trendsaw Massacre 10/29: Master Chief, Trump's 3rd Term, Ape Escape, Japanese Fascism
In this edition of The Texas Trendsaw Massacre, Jack and Miles discuss Master Chief @ the White House, Trump: "It's too bad" he can't run for a 3rd term, an ape escape on a Mississippi highway, and a chat with Ayumi Shinozaki about Japan's struggle with creeping fascism!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 29, 2025 • 1h 2min
My Brain Is LESS Damaged Than YOURS, A Girl Named Disney 10.29.25
In episode 1955, Jack and Miles are joined by comedian, Blake Wexler, to discuss… Trump’s Brain Def Working Good? So Good That He Doesn’t Know Where To Walk? Another Great One From Business Insider and more! The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe... Trump Doesn't Know Where to Walk Trump, 79, Gets Confused Explaining Water to the Navy We named our youngest Disney. Our other 6 kids have unusual ones, too. Miles's Piece of Media: There are thousands of these people in Lexington LISTEN: Deft 1s by CommodoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 28, 2025 • 30min
A Zeitmare On Trend Street 10/28: Hurricane Melissa, Halloween Shrinkflation, Pawtism, Johnson & Johnson, World Series
In this edition of A Zeitmare On Trend Street, Jack and Miles discuss yet another "Storm of the Century": Hurricane Melissa, Halloween candy shrinkflation, anti-vaxx pet owners worried about "pawtism", the Texas AG suing Johnson & Johnson over… lies, an update on the World Series and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


