Trump Take the Wheel
Join Lovett or Leave It as we celebrate women's and LGBTQ rights (and, more importantly, their wrongs) this holiday weekend. Head writer Halle Kiefer stops in with some thoughts on Roe vs Wade. Cassidy Hutchinson (Alice Wetterlund) ponders a career move. Matteo Lane spends a brief interlude with some truly hideous men. Vanessa Bayer looks back on the dubious ethics of ‘90s comedies, and the Ran...
1hr 33m Jul 02, 2022
1hr 33m
It's A Wonderful Lifeguard
Lovett or Leave It welcomes you to Dynasty Typewriter, and to take a breath and recharge. An Arizona election worker (Jana Schmieding) tells her tale of woe, while a Long Island lifeguard (Rose Kelso) wades into the so-called national "lifeguard shortage.” Joe Mande shares his opinion of celebrities going big for biopics, while Lovett reveals how he thinks “Baz Luhrmann” is pronounced. Dan Mert...
1hr 12m Jun 25, 2022
1hr 12m
Pride 2022: Choose Wrath
This week, Lovett or Leave It celebrates Pride the best way it knows how: with the help of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s ghost (Abby McEnany). River Butcher, Tre’vell Anderson, and Zach Noe Towers solve gender, answering definitively if cats really are all girls. Solomon Georgio and Sydnee Washington have all the gossip, while Jared Goldstein spreads the good gay news. Bob the Drag Queen tries to locat...
1hr 22m Jun 18, 2022
1hr 22m
Pod Save Drag Brunch
Lovett or Leave It takes summer by storm with the help of the good people at Los Angeles’s fabulous Dynasty Typewriter. Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton (Brendan Scannell) death drops into the non-debate about children watching drag. Mother Jones’ Hannah Levintova goes public with the truth about private equity. Adam Conover takes a seat to explain the impact of public transportation. Brian Simpson send...
1hr 19m Jun 11, 2022
1hr 19m
Real Housewives of Autocracy
This week, Lovett or Leave It journeys to Boston where a Selling Sunset star (Eugene Mirman) susses out your starter home, and the fate of American democracy goes toe-to-toe with the Real Housewives of New Jersey courtesy of authors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt and comedian Pat Regan. Who remains standing… might not surprise you. Representative Ayanna Pressley gives us hope for student lo...
1hr 21m Jun 04, 2022
1hr 21m
Gun Control > Door Control
Lovett or Leave It returns to Dynasty Typewriter as we choose to be mad after a sad week. Comedian Nish Kumar busts up Partygate, while author and actor Ryan O’Connell calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. Tom Cruise (Kel Cripe) stops by in disguise, while the time traveler (Langston Kerman) from The Time Traveler’s Wife joins with a harrowing warning about the future: it’s going to be the same as now, u...
1hr 11m May 28, 2022
1hr 11m
Darkest MAGA Before the Dawn
Lovett or Leave It mentions the bisque during our wind-swept tour stop in Portland, Maine! Cosmologist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein has Lovett reaching for the stars, while a grizzled lighthouse keeper (John Hodgman, Judge John Hodgman live at Lincoln Center on June 29) laments how quickly conservatives have slipped into madness. That’s his thing! Hollis candidate Eric Kuntz takes on the right-wing...
1hr 28m May 21, 2022
1hr 28m
Wanda Maximoff v. Sam Alito
Lovett or Leave It is up past our bedtime at the ‘ol Hollywood Improv. A super chill GOP congresswoman (Atsuko Okatsuka) thinks we should all calm down about this leaked opinion. Jason Concepcion swings on by like Spider-Man to decide which hero is the most super of all. Lovett and Erin Ryan go house hunting based on real estate prices and... other factors. What will they pick!? The answer may ...
1hr 11m May 14, 2022
1hr 11m
Main Character Energy
This week we’re revisiting some of our favorite characters to grace to Lovett or Leave It Stage, including: Kyrsten Sinema (Kylie Brakeman), Tesla critic Sean Crepe (Andrew Farmer), Titsy Malone (Maria Bamford), J. Jonah Jameson (Paul F. Tompkins), Texas tourism spokesman Ash Wrangler Autry (Michael Hartney), Washington zombie (Demi Adejuyigbe), Bernie Sanders and the My Pillow guy (James Adomi...
1hr 16m May 07, 2022
1hr 16m
Jonathan Groff's Rude Awakening
Lovett or Leave It joins the Netflix Is A Joke festival this week, but the show couldn’t be more serious, as Ashley Ray helps us figure out what is going on with the allies in a new edition of Gay News. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Matt Walsh, of Second in Command) stops by to discuss coup-life balance, and Paul F. Tompkins provides back-up for Dick Wolf’s latest, Law & Order: Election...
1hr 15m Apr 30, 2022
1hr 15m
Is It Cake or Robert Duvall?
Spring has sprung and Lovett or Leave It is blooming all over Los Angeles’ Dynasty Typewriter once again. Danielle Pinnock and Mary Jarreau dig deep into the paranormal with Crooked writer Halle Kiefer. Masculinity expert Brad Turbo (Matt Rogers) cultivates a new generation of manly men…for a price. Lovett and his guests weed out which endangered animals won’t be making the cut this Earth Day, ...
1hr 6m Apr 23, 2022
1hr 6m
Step One: Buy Twitter
Choo choo! Lovett or Leave It: Live Or Else pulls into the station at Dallas’s own The Factory in Deep Ellum. Railroad Commission candidate Luke Warford and producer Kendra James unpack the only thing more harrowing than energy companies coopting Texas Republicans: The Real Housewives of Dallas. Akilah Hughes gives all of us “Daddy Lessons” on Beyonce’s best-of, and we share takes hotter than t...
1hr 13m Apr 16, 2022
1hr 13m
Ghosted by Grimes
Lovett or Leave It pulls on its cowboy boots and takes its Lactaid pills for a queso-filled quorum in Austin, Texas. Beto O’Rourke takes on Greg Abbott and plays Queen for a Day. Ali Clem of la Barbecue and Akilah Hughes help us put the BBQ in LGBTQ. Tate Donavan helps Lovett call out the not-so-magical inspiration behind the Magic Kingdom. And we let the Rant Wheel spin, pardner. Text Lovett t...
1hr 19m Apr 09, 2022
1hr 19m
Grand Old Key Party
This week’s episode is a potluck, and Lovett or Leave It is bringing the bananas. Joel Kim Booster, Jenny Yang and Emily Heller talk rom-coms in a segment slow-cooked to perfection from a recent Dynasty Typewriter show. Lovett fills up on audience questions, while Crooked’s own in-house cranks rant about in-flight films, late-night anxiety, and the eternal dessert rivalry between chips and nuts...
50m Apr 02, 2022
50m
Ginni Thomas’s Unlimited Text Plan
Live from the Lincoln Theatre, Lovett or Leave It storms Washington, D.C. and seizes its jumbo slices. Crooked’s own Damon Young is stuck on cancel culture, while Kamala Harris (Allison Reese) has absolutely no notes on the experience of being V.P. Aparna Nancherla helps our telethon to raise $22 billion dollars for COVID relief, now that Congress has dropped the ball, and we finish off the nig...
1hr 7m Mar 26, 2022
1hr 7m
The Cursed Wives Club
Live from Dynasty Typewriter, Ginni Thomas (Pandora Boxx) storms the barricade to bring us good, solid marriage advice. Josh Barro and Lovett go toe-to-sleepy toe on Daylight Saving Time. Comedian Daniel Santaniel (Tim Baltz) pitches himself as the American Zelenskyy. And Lennon Parham of HBO Max’s Minx weighs in on the sexiness of the 1970s, alongside our very own producer Kendra James and wri...
1hr 17m Mar 19, 2022
1hr 17m
The Dark Knight Reprises
Everything old is new again as Lovett Or Leave It celebrates the return of a classic: performing indoors. L.A. City Councilperson Nithya Raman joins our first show at Dynasty Typewriter, where Emily’s Garden Show makes its triumphant, disruptive return. Joel Kim Booster tackles the seemingly infinite variety of Batmen, while a college student (Halle Kiefer) and an immortal fox spirit (Jenny Yan...
1hr 10m Mar 12, 2022
1hr 10m
And We're Back!
We finally, finally, finally return to touring, and set our clam chowder and sour dough dreams on the beautiful city of San Francisco, all set to the dulcet tones of the incredible B. Noel. Author George M. Johnson crosses out America’s book banning trend. Jared Goldstein and Holmes say Ok, Stop to Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Ben Shapiro. Guy Branum finds out, “Are you smarter than a gay ...
1hr 26m Mar 05, 2022
1hr 26m
In This House, We Say Gay
Gather around the campfire for one s’more backyard show before Lovett and Leave It ventures into the wider world yet again. A pick-up aficionado (Ike Barinholtz) puts the pedal to the metal in our conversation about pedestrian safety. Ike, Sam Richardson, and Madison Shepard cower in the face of the forthcoming vibe shift, before putting their knowledge of Trump’s many legal problems to the tes...
55m Feb 26, 2022
55m
Come No-Fly With Me
When it comes to shows left in Lovett’s backyard, this week’s is Number Two! Lovett’s parents stop by to rank his monologue jokes, while Kylie Brakeman and Moses Storm pop a squat on the couch to spread some hot goss. A battle-weary flight attendant feels wiped from all these disruptive anti-maskers, while Lovett plays party pooper to a very enthusiastic trucker, fresh from Canada’s Freedom Con...
1hr 15m Feb 19, 2022
1hr 15m
Live, Laugh, Hang Mike Pence
Cupid aims his wise and mighty arrow at the backyard this week, where we regale True Story’s Ed Helms with true tales of courtship gone wrong. Keep It’s own Louis Virtel goes toe-to-toe (dare we say cheek-to-cheek) with fellow Oscar trivia dynamo Michael Lasker for a round of romantic Oscars trivia. Atsuko Okatsuko has all the tips and tricks you need to rekindle the spark... with Democrats. An...
1hr 8m Feb 12, 2022
1hr 8m
Mayors Unmasked!
Mayors are revealing their faces and people are pissed! This week, the pod at Pundit’s palace welcomes Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451 (Marcella Arguello), who explains the real danger of banning books; Jason Concepcion expands his mind to contemplate the Joe Rogan-verse; and Tesla critic Sean Crepe (Andrew Farmer) gets taken for a ride in one of Elon’s finest, while we close out another chilly ...
54m Feb 05, 2022
54m
Five Alarm Breyer
The pod pops the cork on another house party at Lovett’s place, where West Elm Caleb (as played by River Butcher) stops by to ruin the vibe; Lindsay Adams and Brendan Scannell parse through the pettiest moments in presidential history; producer Kendra James answers the tough questions about her new book, Admissions; and a new batch of Hot Takes takes us into some truly jaw-dropping territory, a...
46m Jan 29, 2022
46m
We’re Going on Tour!
And we're back... on tour that is! Get tickets & learn more: crooked.com/events Join Lovett and friends on the road, as Lovett or Leave It hits Washington D.C., Austin, Chicago, Boston, and more. Take a deep dive into what’s going on in the news, laugh along with his hilarious guests, and do it all IRL. Don’t worry, your couch will be there when you get back. Listener presales: January 25 at 10...
1m Jan 24, 2022
1m
Get Better Friends, Sonia!
We gather 'round the ol' campfire for another Lovett or Leave It, brought to you from the wilderness of Lovett's backyard. Hysteria's own Megan Gailey gives us a front row seat to the Divas Live! concert that is professional athletes and COVID. Jared Goldstein pulls back the curtain and nervously peers into the dysfunctional life of a Hollywood bigwig. We finish with a Rant Wheel, and just in t...
53m Jan 22, 2022
53m
Cancel Culture Comes for Stalin
Lovett or Leave It returns to the great outdoors, specifically the part of the outdoors immediately adjacent to Lovett’s house - because when we said "live or else" we meant it. We talk COVID in schools with the L.A. Times’ Colleen Shalby and 90 Day Fiancé with Marcy Jarreau (90 Day Bae) at the exact same time, and put Adam Scott (Severance) to the test to find out if he really does love the ‘9...
48m Jan 15, 2022
48m
New Year, New Rants
Pop an ibuprofen, pour yourself a tall glass of water, and nurse your NYE hangover with a big, salty mess of frustrations! That’s right, our January 1 Rant-a-thon is here. Roy Wood Jr. centers the importance of your Uber driver, while Alex Edelman raises an eyebrow at corporate charity. Shalewa Sharpe reminisces about cookies gone by, while Marcy Jarreau sounds off about car horns. Crooked’s ow...
59m Jan 01, 2022
59m
Saturn Devouring His Kugel
Now more than ever: what a year. Lovett or Leave It hopes the door won't hit 2021 in the ass on the way out, while Ashley Ray and Alice Wetterlund scroll through Mark Meadows' January 6 texts, Det. Peter Bruegel (Max Silvestri) punishes the Grinch for his crimes, and holiday foods square off in a heated bracket that dares to ask the question: is ham a dessert meat? Plus a final round of Hot Tak...
1hr 16m Dec 18, 2021
1hr 16m
TEAM JEREMY STRONG
Comedian Kevin James Thornton stops by to talk TikTok and to autotune our childhoods. Nancy Cuomo (Jackie Kashian) updates us on the Cuomo family Christmas newsletter. Andy Slavitt breaks down what we need to know about omicron. Tawny Newsome and Danielle Perez deserve an Oscar for their knowledge of method acting. And do not ask for whom the Rant Wheel spins. It spins…for thee. For a closed-c...
1hr 12m Dec 11, 2021
1hr 12m
And YOU get an Oz!
Comedian Kiran Deol forgives us for making her talk about the state of modern apologies, J. Jonah Jameson (Paul F. Tompkins) stops by to explain how photos of Spider-Man are just barely keeping the newspaper industry alive, and Hot Takes has us defending Harvard grads, the Citizen app, and, worst of all, abstaining from video games. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please vis...
53m Dec 04, 2021
53m
Biden Taps That Gas
It's Thanksgiving weekend and there’s room for you at the kids’ table as comedian Naomi Ekperigin digs into the week in news, and reminds us to save a seat for Corn Pop. Astronaut Scott Kelly tells us about more than astronaut ice cream, and Jon and Tommy take things personally in the Newlywed Game. Then Alexis Wilson, Moshe Kasher, Tre’vell Anderson, Maria Bamford, and Ricky Velez gather 'roun...
1hr 4m Nov 27, 2021
1hr 4m
Gosar In the Machine
In this half live, half or else episode, Guy Branum ruminates on Beto’s roll out and Boebert’s freak out, Solomon Georgio unfolds other people’s dirty laundry, and Senator Patty Murray joins forces against Lovett or Leave It’s greatest nemesis: reverting to standard time. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/lovettorleaveit.  For a transcript of this episo...
51m Nov 20, 2021
51m
New York: The Squeakquel
This week, Lovett triumphantly returns to New York like Caesar to Rome. Is Ronan here for gay news? You bet. Does he return for the Newlywed game against Oscar nominated twins, the Lucas Bros.? Sure thing. Bridget Everett is here with facts on the rats that've overrun this fair city, and Wyatt Cenac is too with the receipts showing roads can be racist. Busy Philipps AKA Resistance Wine Mom is f...
1hr 20m Nov 13, 2021
1hr 20m
Glasgow Big or Go Home
Adam Conover takes on the final boss, toxic masculinity, while Sam Sanders sorts through our nation’s most iconic scams. Nancy Pelosi (played by Michaela Watkins) cooks a dish everyone will love even if she has to keep changing the recipe. And Scott Yates joins Lovett in his crusade against his arch-nemesis, standard time. Plus a round of Hot Takes! For a closed-captioned version of this epi...
1hr 25m Nov 06, 2021
1hr 25m
Meta or Worse
Ooky? Yes. Spooky? Absolutely. This week, a Washington zombie (Demi Adejuyigbe) digs up some undead political concepts, a local news reporter (Megan Gailey) warns us about the tricks in our treats, the global supply chain (Rory Scovell) yells at us to be less demanding, and Facebook’s Carol (Kara Klenk) discovers she’s being manipulated by Mark Zuckerberg, but then again, aren't we all? And bef...
52m Oct 30, 2021
52m
Harry Styles Threw The First Brick
This week Tre’vell Anderson helps us catch up on some gay news, the newest Bond Girl, Titsy Malone (Maria Bamford), shares her character's journey in No Time to Die, Alexis Wilson and Moshe Kasher help (we think? maybe?) the audience with some of their toughest problems. Ricky Velez joins as we talk about the Right's attack on parental leave. And Lovett quizzes Moshe and Ricky on paternity leav...
1hr 9m Oct 23, 2021
1hr 9m
Charlie and the Unnecessary Prequel Factory
Young Wonka, played by Brandon Wardell, stops by to lament America’s Great Resignation. We quiz the audience on the media’s coverage of the reconciliation bill...and what the hell is actually in it. Solomon Georgio and Akilah Hughes weigh in on the best parts of fall and the worst parts of Dave Chappelle’s special, while we heat up the stage with a fiery round of Hot Takes. Support the Childre...
49m Oct 16, 2021
49m
Just Squidding Around
Phoebe Robinson has to match the apology to the scandal throughout Facebook’s history. Chris Kattan gets his feathers ruffled squawking about Big Oil. Jason Concepcion carves out some time for a Squid Game or three. And we take a spin on the Rant Wheel. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/lovettorleaveit.  For a transcript of this episode, please email tra...
1hr 13m Oct 09, 2021
1hr 13m
Move Fast and Break Teens
Comedian Ashley Ray thumbs through a forbidden text in our first ever Don’t Read This Book Book Club meeting. BJ Novak steers our collective trolley through a crowd of ethical dilemmas and moral quandaries. And Kara Klenk defends Elliot and Olivia’s end game on Law & Order: SVU, among other other scorching opinions in the return of Lorde of Hot Takes. For a closed-captioned version of this e...
1hr 7m Oct 02, 2021
1hr 7m
And We're Back!
We did it live! Kylie Brakeman takes us on a Sip and See to Kyrsten Sinema’s Wine Club, Emily Heller airs out LuLaRoe’s dirty leggings, we show dairy who's boss with the Rant Wheel, and Representative Adam Schiff explains House Democrats’ Protecting Our Democracy Act as Lovett or Leave It returns to the stage at Cinelounge Outdoors in Hollywood! A huge thank you to Rory O’Malley for singing thi...
1hr 8m Sep 25, 2021
1hr 8m
Balls Swell that Ends Well
Aasif Mandvi meets this week’s cast of characters, from General Mark Milley to Nicki Minaj’s cousin to the guy that controls Joe Biden’s off switch. Ezra Klein takes a look at the future of the Golden State following the failed California recall. Texas Tourism Board spokesman Ash Wrangler Autry (Michael Hartney) implores you to ignore all of that bad stuff happening in their state legislature. ...
1hr 18m Sep 18, 2021
1hr 18m
Hotel Recallifornia
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/lovettorleaveit.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
57m Sep 11, 2021
57m
Let's Get Into It (Again)
We jump into the storied Lovett or Leave It Vault™, and take a look back at our favorite moments from the past year of the pod. Take a stroll through Emily Heller's Garden. Be Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon's third for The Achoo-ly Spread Game. Try to get a word in edgewise with James Adomian's Bernie Sanders and Mike Lindell. And make a mountain out of a hill of beans. It's a Lovett Or Leave...
59m Aug 28, 2021
59m
Looking for Delicate Give (Rantathon!)
Rants are the only thing on the menu this week — from newbies Alex English and Danny Pellegrino, plus familiar faces Guy Branum, Emily Heller, Erin Ryan, Megan Gailey, Josh Gondelman, and Danielle Perez. From white celebrities to White Lotus (SPOILERS!), celebrating birthdays but not Meg Ryan, love on islands but not on Netflix, and more. Lots to complain about. Spin the wheel. For a closed-c...
1hr 19m Aug 21, 2021
1hr 19m
Cuomosexual Conversion Therapy
Abby McEnany brings some much needed levity to a week bogged down by Andrew Cuomo, Alec Baldwin, Greg Abbott, and Chet Hanks. Conservative firebrand Brit McClintock (Blaire Eskrine) changes course and begs listeners to get vaccinated. Buzzfeed’s David Mack on the untold history of an open gay secret. Plus climate journalist Molly Taft and Bachelorette expert Ali Barthwell prove that you can tal...
1hr 1m Aug 14, 2021
1hr 1m
Damon Like a Wrecking Ball
Paul Scheer is back to break down the week's news. Jon talks to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about the eviction moratorium and Britney Spears. And Ashley Ray joins to play a game that forces us to share some SCORCHING hot takes. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/lovettorleaveit.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and in...
1hr 19m Aug 07, 2021
1hr 19m
Twisties and Shout
Rainn Wilson and Reza Aslan join to break down all the week's news, from Simon Biles's decision to Adam Driver's transformation. Jason Concepcion takes us through a bracket of former celebrity couples to see which reunion would reign supreme. Jon interviews Bruce Friedrich of the Good Food Institute to talk about meat without the downsides. And we test a diehard Olympic fan to see how well she'...
1hr 28m Jul 31, 2021
1hr 28m
All Riots Matter!
The very funny Sean Devlin breaks down the week’s news - from insurrectionists on the insurrection committee to Wally Funk's wild ride with some rich dudes. Charles Marohn of Strong Towns explains what happens when a road and a street have a baby. And we play Fearmongering Mad Libs, because it's like Fox News is barely trying anymore. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a c...
53m Jul 24, 2021
53m
Rich Boys and their Space Toys
Billionaires are doing it for themselves. Simon Rich joins to break down the week’s news: reconciliation, competition, and Olivia Rodrigo is here...to tell teens to get vaccinated. Senator Amy Klobuchar talks about corporate power and her book on monopolies. And long dead cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin - tough booking - stops by to share his thoughts on Bezos and Branson's ticket to ride. For a closed...
55m Jul 17, 2021
55m
F*ck Jamie Spears
Jia Tolentino and Ronan Farrow join to talk about their investigation into the Britney Spears conservatorship and some of the larger lessons it offers. The very funny Aida Rodriguez helps break down the week's news from frivolous lawsuits by Trump to a surprising revelation about Jimmy Carter. Plus Clark Gregg absolutely destroys Adam Conover in a quiz on First Lady history. (And please subscri...
1hr Jul 10, 2021
1hr