The Best People with Nicolle Wallace

At 22 years old, Jess Michaels was thriving. She was finding success as a dancer and model in New York City. Then, in 1991, she met Jeffrey Epstein. Jess Michaels was sexually assaulted by Epstein and it destroyed her stability, her career and her health. After doing the work to begin healing from this trauma, she has found renewed purpose as an advocate alongside other survivors of Epstein's abuse. The day after excerpts from Epstein’s 50th birthday book were made public, Jess and her lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, joined Nicolle to call out the decades of institutional cowardice, and with a warning for elected leaders: Jess and her fellow survivors are not going away, and they are not going to stop until they get accountability, truth and justice. A note to listeners: This episode contains discussions around sexual assault.  Please listen with care. 

She’s a voting rights activist, a prominent voice in the Democratic party and a three-time New York Times best-selling novelist; but more than anything else, Stacey Abrams is a bonafide badass. As Democratic leaders struggle to unify around a message to counter Trump’s relentless attacks on democracy, Abrams envisions a future where having a moral backbone is an asset, not a weakness. She calls out the political cowardice that’s taken hold of Trump’s MAGA Republicans and calls on Democrats to find their voice and their spine. Never forget, says Abrams, that being in the minority doesn’t make you powerless.And a reminder: tickets are on sale now for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25.Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

Ken Burns is America’s documentarian: From the Civil War to Vietnam, baseball to the Brooklyn Bridge, his films are gospel for generations of Americans curious about the world and our history. This November, in a new six part, 12-hour documentary series Burns turns his attention to the American Revolution – and the counterintuitive revelation that democracy was *not* on the table when the fighting first broke out. Burns says what this film showed him is that the tension we feel today in 2025 arcs back to and mirrors the tension that gave birth to our nation. And Burns believes the American story boils down to a simple choice – a question posed in the timeless Frank Capra classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”: Do you want to live in Pottersville or Bedford Falls? (HINT: Ken Burns only wants to live in Bedford Falls) Tickets are still available for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25. Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.  

Life can take some pretty unexpected turns. Just ask Phil Rosenthal. The man who brought us “Everybody Loves Raymond” is now a global star in his own right thanks to “Somebody Feed Phil” – Netflix’s longest running unscripted original series, a show Phil says boils down to one simple sentence: “I’m just like Anthony Bourdain if Bourdain was afraid of everything”. The result is a profound, at times goofy, and utterly relatable exploration of humanity through food. Phil tells Nicolle about his “hero’s journey” as a kid from Queens who didn’t taste garlic until he was 17 to a world traveler who’s trying to get everybody out of their comfort zones one dish at a time. And Phil shares what he’s learned along the way: that most people are nice, it’s time to replace the manosphere with the “lady-sphere”, and diners might just save the world. A note to listeners: Tickets are still available for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25. Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

Pod Save America and Crooked Media founding member Jon Lovett isn’t just a podcasting legend or Barack Obama’s speechwriting secret weapon. He's a quick study of our political discourse and a cultural vanguard. Now he’s spilling the tea on everything from the “vandalism” Trump is unleashing on American institutions, the Hollywood heavy-hitter who had a hand in THAT Trump joke at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and what it was really like working with Hillary Clinton. Lovett also offers some hard truths Democrats need to face if they hold any hope of getting back into power. Plus: his hot take on the Epstein scandal and whether it could deliver a knock-out blow to Trump’s support with the MAGA faithful. A note to listeners: Tickets are on sale now for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25. Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.  

When systems are failing, what do you triage first? That's a question that keeps constitutional law superstar Melissa Murray awake at night. As a law professor at New York University, a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and co-host of the “Strict Scrutiny” podcast, Melissa is well-versed in examining our legal system at the intersection of the social and political, and she knows that what is being broken will take a long time to rebuild. In this episode, Melissa joins Nicolle to talk about why Justice Sotomayor's dissents from the bench send a message about protest amid a conservative supermajority on the High Court, the power of Black women voters, and how to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. A note: Tickets are on sale now for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25. Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.  

From the war in Ukraine to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, Jacob Soboroff is no stranger to covering tragedy. His first-hand account of family separations along the Southern border during Trump’s first term became a bestselling book and later the critically acclaimed documentary “Separated” by Academy Award winning director Errol Morris. Now, Soboroff is back chronicling the human toll and devastating impact of Trump’s new immigration crackdown, including an exclusive interview for “The Best People”: with Narciso Barranco, the gardener and father of three whose violent detention by masked ICE agents in California this June went viral. Plus: tickets are on sale now for MSNBC Live – our second live community event featuring more than a dozen MSNBC hosts. The day-long event will be held on October 11th at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. To buy tickets visit msnbc.com/live25.Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

There is no pre-political Tim Miller. From a fifth-grade bet on Bill Clinton, to becoming a Republican strategist for Jeb Bush, to finally saying “Goodbye to All That” and leaving the party in 2020, and now hosting the Bulwark podcast as a ‘Never Trumper,’ Miller has been immersed in politics his whole life. In this episode, Tim joins Nicolle to discuss finding (and losing) community within the Republican party, the manosphere, and what he’s learned about breaking down the Trump coalition as a long-term anti-Trump advocate. Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

Very few actors have the range to pull off “Dumb and Dumber’s” slack jawed Harry Dunne, while mastering the arc of moral giants like Atticus Finch on stage or Ronald Reagan in the upcoming film “Reykjavík.” Jeff Daniels is that actor. He’s played iconic character driven roles like “The Newsroom’s” Will McAvoy and delivered countless monologues that embrace the better angels of our nature. And now, he’s playing guitar and writing songs that hold up a mirror to the human experience. He joins Nicolle in this episode to talk about the trajectory of his career, choosing a life in Michigan over Hollywood, and the lack of a national moral compass in the Trump era. Plus: a special acoustic guitar performance. Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.

BONUS: In his two decades of coaching youth baseball, Youman Wilder never expected ICE agents to show up at his practice. But recently, that's exactly what happened. On New York's Upper West Side, Coach Wilder claims to have witnessed armed ICE agents questioning his players—and that’s when he knew he had to step in. On “Deadline White House” Nicolle interviewed Wilder on the experience and what is asked of all of us in this moment. Listen to the conversation here.Editors’ Note: since the interview aired on MSNBC on July 14th, an ICE spokesperson has refuted this account, saying “ICE has not conducted any recent enforcement activity in the vicinity of Riverside Park.”Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Five-time Grammy Award winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and more Billboard No. 1 hits than any other production team in history – these are just a handful of the accolades amassed by Jimmy Jam. The mastermind behind a seemingly endless list of iconic songs like “Control” and “Rhythm Nation” and the legendary producer has long been a venerated fixture of the music industry, alongside his partner Terry Lewis. From serving as the Chairman of the Grammys, to songwriting for Janet Jackson, to growing up alongside Prince, his infectious passion for music and belief in its unifying properties seeps into everything he does. In this episode, he joins Nicolle to share memories and lessons from his storied career. Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

Sarah Jessica Parker is the ultimate New Yorker. Andy Cohen says walking around with her is like “walking around with the Empire State Building.” SJP, as Parker is affectionately known to her fans, is best known for playing the iconic Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s “Sex and The City” and its revival “And Just Like That,” currently in its third season. But more than men or fashion, the show is about friendship, community, and what it means to show up for one another. And in this interview with “The Best People,” she tells Nicolle Wallace that this spirit of care is one we could use a little more of in today’s political climate. Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

The names Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach speak for themselves. Glennon, a bestselling author, activist, and podcaster. Abby, an American soccer legend and World Cup champion. Together, the married couple is a force for good. In this episode, they join Nicolle to talk about how putting our bodies into uncomfortable places is the antidote to the dehumanization of immigrants, and why fighting for democracy needs to be a team sport.Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

The real-life brothers behind the MeidasTouch digital media empire say building a resistance during Trump 2.0 is not that complicated: let your moral compass guide your actions. Anything else is just “weird”. (Paging Donald Trump). Ben, Jordy and Brett Meiselas join Nicolle in this episode to share their outlook on how to keep our democracy thriving, build community, shut down bullies and why their digital first approach is giving Fox News a run for its money.Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.  

Something about Nicolle: if she wasn’t a full-time anchor and part-time podcaster, her dream job would be to work anywhere near the NBA. So as the best teams in the league are battling it out in the NBA Finals, she welcomes Doc Rivers, NBA Champion head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, to talk Trump, politics, and professional basketball. Doc does not shy away from the dynamics of why Trump won, where Democrats need to go from here and how basketball can teach us everything we need to know about surviving this moment and being human.Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Kara Swisher is a boss. As a journalist, entrepreneur, and longtime podcast host, she understands the intersection between tech and media, wealth and power like no one else. Kara joins Nicolle in this episode to talk about the art and intimacy of podcasting, the carnival barker Trump has always been and why she takes no guff from tech titans like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.  Want to listen to this show early and without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

On the second episode of “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” Nicolle’s “phone-a-friend" Rachel Maddow reflects on the weird reality of this moment: after tumbling over the edge of the cliff of Trumpism, how do Americans navigate the canyon below? They muse about “shirtless” Vladimir Putin’s embarrassing relationship with President Trump, why Americans aren’t buying that immigrants are the enemy, and why Rachel finds hope in good old-fashioned protest.   Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.  

Welcome to “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace.” Each week, Nicolle sits down with someone she admires for conversations that are illuminating, inspiring, and sometimes surprising. This first episode begins with Jason Bateman copping to how much he’d love to be behind the steady camon Nicolle’s “Deadline: White House” set. From there they discuss his endearingly barbed relationship with his “Smartless” co-hosts Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, reflect on how to navigate the incredible plot twists of this wild Trump era, and Jason walks Nicolle through how to capture good sound of a body splat on the pavement.Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. 

On her new podcast, “The Best People,” Nicolle Wallace sits down with the smartest, funniest, wisest people she knows. These are the people who are the best at what they do and use their success to help others.  Hear from some of the biggest names in media, sports, and entertainment; people such as Jason Bateman, Rachel Maddow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Doc Rivers, and Kara Swisher.  New episodes drop on Mondays, beginning June 2nd. And you can sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts to get early access, ad-free listening, and bonus content.