On with Kara Swisher

Isaac Chotiner on Confrontation, Curiosity, and Being the 'Interview Assassin'

January 5, 2026·1h 0m·8-min readinterviewculture
Podzilla Summary (8 min)
TLDR
Isaac Chotiner, a staff writer at The New Yorker and a leading voice in long-form political and intellectual interviews, discusses his confrontational yet principled approach to journalism. He emphasizes rigorous research, intellectual honesty, and the importance of challenging public fig

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Guest

I

Isaac Chotiner

interview on On with Kara Swisher

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Isaac ChotinerKara SwisherCass SunsteinKarine Jean-PierreV.S. NaipaulDavid EllisonLarry EllisonGavin Newsom

Books

The History of Sugar

Companies

ParamountWarner Brothers Discovery

Topics

DemocracyLong Form JournalismPolitical NewsUs Politics

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