Judging Sam: Week 2 Catch-up with Michael Lewis

Judging Sam: Week 2 Catch-up with Michael Lewis

Author: Pushkin Industries October 16, 2023 Duration: 25:36

Week 2 of Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial is in the books. The prosecution has called witnesses, including star witness Caroline Ellison, and the defense has cross-examined. There have been dramatic, emotional moments, a secret recording and laughter in the overflow rooms. Lidia Jean has been in court, and Michael has been on book tour. In this episode they catch each other up. Michael is curious how the characters he got to know while reporting his book have come off in court.

This conversation was recorded on October 14. 

Questions for Michael? Submit them by clicking the link in our show notes or visiting atrpodcast.com

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Fifteen years have passed since Michael Lewis published his defining work, Against the Rules: The Big Short Companion. In that time, the story of the 2008 financial crisis, first told in his best-selling book and later in an Oscar-winning film, has only grown more relevant. This audio companion, produced by Pushkin Industries, is not a simple retrospective. Instead, Lewis, joined by co-host Lidia Jean Kott, uses the anniversary as a starting point for a deeper investigation. They examine the enduring legacy of that seismic event-how its lessons were absorbed, ignored, or misunderstood in the worlds of business, culture, and even sports. Listeners are brought directly into conversations that feel both urgent and reflective, including Lewis catching up with the film's director, Adam McKay, and revisiting the real-life individuals whose stories fueled the original narrative. The result is a podcast that functions as a vital, living appendix to a modern classic, asking what we truly learned and how the rules of the game have-or haven't-changed since the house of cards came tumbling down. It’s an essential listen for anyone who wonders how the past continues to shape our present.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Against the Rules: The Big Short Companion
Podcast Episodes
Judging Sam: The jury's job [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:32
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this episode, our guest incorrectly stated that in the case of a hung jury, a defendant cannot be retried without risking double jeopardy. This is incorrect. If the jury hangs, then t…
Judging Sam: The Hail Mary That Wasn’t [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:22
We're finally in the home stretch. Today the prosecution finished their cross examination of Sam Bankman-Fried, the defense followed up with a redirect, and then both sides rested. It’s Michael’s last day at court, but L…
Judging Sam: Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Cross-Examination [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:44
Sam Bankman-Fried finishes direct and faces withering cross-examination by the government’s chief prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon. Michael Lewis and Lidia Jean Kott share notes during lunch, then Lidia Jean sits down with P…
Judging Sam: Sam Bankman-Fried Takes The Stand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:09
The day is finally upon us: Sam Bankman-Fried takes the stand. Michael Lewis and Lidia Jean meet up after a long day in court and discuss everything that went down. This conversation was recorded on October 27. Questions…
Judging Sam: Michael Lewis comes to court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:54
Michael Lewis finishes his book tour and joins Lidia Jean Kott in court. His timing, as usual, is impeccable. The government rests its case. And then, everyone thinks Sam Bankman-Fried will take the stand. Instead, in a…
Judging Sam: After The Prosecution Rests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:39
After a few days off, the trial resumes tomorrow, October 26. The prosecution has said they will likely be ready to rest their case by midday. Michael Lewis, Lidia Jean Kott and Rebecca Mermelstein, a partner at the law…
Judging Sam: An FTX Victim Speaks Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:33
Voices of the victims of Sam Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes have been few and far between during the prosecution’s presentation of its case. On today’s show, Lidia Jean Kott sits down with Jake Thacker, a tech worker fro…
Judging Sam: Week 3 is in the books [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:26
Another week come and gone, and like everything SBF, it wasn’t without a healthy dose of drama. Lidia Jean Kott catches Michael Lewis and Jacob Goldstein up on all that has gone down. This conversation was recorded on th…
Listen Now: Spellcaster - The Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:31
When nerdy gamer Sam Bankman-Fried rocketed to fame as the world’s richest 29-year-old, he pledged to donate his billions to good causes. But when Sam's crypto exchange FTX collapsed, billions of dollars went missing, an…
Judging Sam: Michael Lewis Talks Money with Matt Levine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
Today on the show, Michael talks with Matt Levine, business columnist at Bloomberg News and author of the newsletter “Money Stuff.” Matt knows more about how crypto markets work than just about anyone else. And also abou…