Pablo Torre Finds Out

Epizode

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  How "The Odyssey" Outsmarts Itself, with Wesley Morris 24.07.2026 49min

  A three-hour puzzle in IMAX makes for great storytelling, but does Christopher Nolan make going to the movies feel like homework? The New York Times critic at large joins Pablo for a (relatively spoiler-free) cinematic sparring session: What goes wrong when an auteur plays with too many Hollywood toys? What goes right when Homeric text aligns with classic Damon? Is the casting really so "woke" after all? And why were those Greek islands so... neutered?• Subscribe to "Cannonball with Wesley Morris"• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  We Go Deep with the Unlikeliest of Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Smooth Jazz 23.07.2026 46min

  Forget hold music and Kenny G. Move over Michael Jordan and HGH. Smooth jazz — yes, smooth jazz — is the "stimulax" you've been sleeping on. From geriatric hotel ballrooms to the moneymaker-shaking high seas, correspondent Mickey Duzyj fights off the jazz police to report on the communal power of a comeback genre... then outs a closeted, world-champion super-fan.• Learn more about "Smooth World"• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube• Previously on PTFO: "Bird-Watching Will Blow Your Mind"("A New Day," "Give It Up," "Honey-Dipped," and "Side by Side" by Dave Koz and "Doctor's Orders" by Phillip Doc Martin licensed with permission. Additional music by Jon Natchez for "Smooth World.") Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  "Play, Don't Pay": Meet the College-Football YouTuber Who Led a Gaming Revolt 21.07.2026 36min

  James Bordeaux was a 23-year-old in Kentucky, playing EA Sports College Football 27 for a living. Then Electronic Arts — the $50-billion mega-developer backed by the Saudis and Jared Kushner's private-equity firm — tried to extract so-called "microtransactions" from inside his beloved video game. So the furious creator put his mouth where his money is: leading the type of organic, populist revolt that has become all too uncommon in American life. Bordeaux explains to Pablo how fans won a battle... but why consumers may never win the war.• Previously on PTFO: The "Pay-to-Play" Scheme That (Almost) Ruined Video Games, with Dan Soder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  He Funded Jeffrey Epstein. Why Is This Billionaire's Name All Over College Campuses? 17.07.2026 42min

  Victoria's Secret mogul turned mega-donor Leslie Wexner introduced Epstein to Harvard. Now, a growing protest movement to strip his name from university buildings is getting shut down. What did Epstein's money man know? When did he know it? And who really calls the shots in higher education? The Harvard Crimson's Dhruv Patel returns for Part 3 in our series on America's most prestigious school and most notorious predator, to examine Wexner and Epstein's "friendship," plus an exclusive interview and a new tranche of internal fundraising transactions that reveals $100 million in publicly unaccounted donations.• Part 1: "The Jeffrey E. Epstein Fund for Women's Athletics"• Part 2: How Harvard Whitewashed Jeffrey Epstein's Millions(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and The Harvard Crimson and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Decoding the Kawhi Leonard Investigation, with DeMaurice Smith 16.07.2026 43min

  A superstar held up by the salary cap. A billionaire under the microscope. A league inquiry hidden from public view. De Smith has seen this playbook for punishment before. The former NFL union boss — and white-shoe law-firm investigator — returns to answer questions the NBA still won't: Who is "independent" when the league (and Steve Ballmer, in particular) pays the legal bill? Why would witnesses participate if they face potential criminal exposure? How do unions play the long game? And what obligation does a league have to its fans, if cheating can be the baseline?• Read "Turf Wars" by DeMaurice Smith• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube for breaking-news updates on Kawhi-Gate• Previously on PTFO: The Man Who (Relentlessly) Sued the NFL Has Receipts(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The "Pay-to-Play" Scheme That (Almost) Ruined Video Games, with Dan Soder 14.07.2026 50min

  Virtual currency is a new cheat code. But when EA Sports tried to squeeze extra cash out of sports fans with so-called "microtransactions" inside its latest-college football title, gamers revolted... and won? Comedian Dan Soder, who's been playing video games with a future NFL coach since childhood, takes Pablo on a journey to the seventh circle of nerddom: What does this phenomenon say about private equity turning fun into an asset? How do we stop sacrificing community for convenience? And is shame still possible?• Subscribe to "Soder"Previously on PTFO:• Share & Madden & Tell with Katie Nolan and Dan Soder• We Smoked All the Athlete-Branded Weed We Could Find Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Best, Worst and Sexiest Trophies in Sports, with Legendary Art Critic Jerry Saltz 10.07.2026 52min

  The Heisman? "An American classic." The World Cup? "Uncircumcised." A white-gloved Pablo welcomes back New York magazine's unfiltered, Pulitzer Prize-winning arbiter of taste to evaluate the history of competitive hardware as sculpture — with a curated tour of shiny balls, stolen chalices and one gigantic mystery box.• Previously on PTFO: Athlete Statues, Reviewed by Pulitzer-Winning Art Critic Jerry Saltz• Subscribe to New York magazine for more Jerry Saltz• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Share & Risk & Tell with Jay Jurden and Katie Nolan 09.07.2026 47min

  Why were Taylor Swift's wedding guests and celebrity Knicks fans assigned "risk" scores inside Madison Square Garden's secret VIP database? Who was the karaoke MVP at the wedding afterparty? And would you rather test-drive the "most potent weed beverage known to man" ... or Bill Simmons' colonoscopy? Plus: Guy Fieri, Shaboozey, Polyp George, The Mike Vrabel Sliding Scale of Chivalry, The Blandino Tier and fogging the glass of exclusivity.• Read the follow-up story at WIRED• Previously on PTFO: We Got Inside Knicks Surveillance — and MSG's Deep State Is Stranger Than You Think• Watch Jay Jurden's "Yes Ma'am"• Subscribe to "Casuals with Katie Nolan"(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  We Visited Death Row for the Super Bowl. You Can Help Save This Fan's Life. (PTFO Vault) 07.07.2026 1h 3min

  The reason for this re-air is dire: A wrongfully convicted football fan is running out of time — and legal avenues to pursue. When Pablo sat down with Cowboys superfan Charles Flores in January, Flores’ legal team was working on a Hail Mary: petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case — and to consider whether the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals had violated his right to due process. On June 15, that effort failed. Public pressure is all that remains. Which means that the power of Charles’ story is more important than ever. As is the urgency to sign the petition to encourage the Dallas County DA to stop his execution.• Sign the petition to stop the execution of Charles Flores• Previously on PTFO: Watching the Dallas Cowboys on Death Row"The Road Goes On Forever" written and performed by Robert Earl Keen, with permissions from Songs of Universal, Inc., and Keen Productions.(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) (edited)  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Uncovering Phil Mickelson's Misconduct Allegations, with Alan Shipnuck 03.07.2026 52min

  After months of rumors, journalist Alan Shipnuck investigates why Phil Mickelson has basically vanished from the LIV Golf Tour — and social media. Leading us down a rabbit hole of hidden misconduct claims and exits from three different golf clubs. Not to mention 19 sources, an off-shore oil pipeline and an ex-friend's ex-wife: Ashley Perez.Read Alan Shipnuck’s reporting at Skratch Golf: https://www.skratch.golf/news/pro-golf/phil-mickelson-misconduct-women-madison-club-bridges-farms-exitsRead Phil Mickelson’s spokesperson’s statement: https://x.com/_davidrumsey/status/2072655169792225420?s=46Read Skratch’s response: https://x.com/_davidrumsey/status/2072696394997981241?s=46 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Sporting Class: Hydration Breaks, FIFA Trials and a Condo Full of Cats 02.07.2026 49min

  Ex-ESPN president John Skipper was once the most important soccer fan in America. But then he lost the World Cup to FOX — and became a federal witness. So we wanted to know what it’s been like to watch America fall in love with the very tournament Skipper wasn’t allowed to win. And whether federal corruption trials, nine figures worth of commercials and a Trump Tower apartment full of cats can slow the spread of the world’s favorite game.• Donate to the Kyra Fund, which will support research on Glioblastoma, one of the deadliest cancers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  “Please Enjoy It Or You Are Fired”: Inside PTFO, with Dan Le Batard 30.06.2026 42min

  PTFO keeps winning awards. But what do we do for an encore? How do you make something special without losing our standards — or our minds? Do you guys even enjoy this? Pablo visits Miami to see his friend/boss, Dan Le Batard, and Dan’s producer, Chris Cote. They discuss balancing real life; perspective in the face of grief; Oprah; and figuring out how to serve an audience without missing the point.• Donate to the Kyra Fund, which will support research on Glioblastoma, one of the deadliest cancers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Missing Ambassador of the World Cup 26.06.2026 49min

  He covered soccer before it was cool, promised to go WikiLeaks on FIFA, then got detained and mysteriously collapsed in Qatar. If there was ever someone we needed to hear from, as a global conduit during this corrupt World Cup on American soil, it's Grant Wahl. So his former co-host, Chris Wittyngham — along with his family and one of the many stars he inspired — helps Pablo listen back to Wahl's lost tapes, re-live his fearless run for office and the rainbow target on his chest... then put the conspiracies to rest.• Previously on PTFO: America Signed Up for the World Cup. FIFA Stuck You with the Tab.• Listen to Le Batard & Friends re-live Grant Wahl's LeBron cover story• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  What the World Cup Can Teach the American Fan, with John Green and Daniel Alarcón 25.06.2026 40min

  We are numb, as Americans, to the attention of the globe and the power structures of our sports leagues. But what if love of country could be simple again? And what if fans had more power than we thought? Pablo feels the football osmosis from the (banned) bestselling author and his old friend turned MacArthur Genius, as they offer a liberal-arts education in the beautiful game — from the fault in our superstar interviews to the damage wrought by Alexi Lalas upon our would-be Neymars and Messis. Plus: a pump-up speech that Ted Lasso would never, ever fantasize about.• Subscribe to "The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green"• Previously on PTFO: How John Green Turned Celebrity into Obsessive Optimism• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Sarah Jessica Parker on the Seductive Power of Sports and the City 23.06.2026 46min

  New York is palpably horny right now. And happy. So we invited the patron saint of sex and this town to chase euphoria, appreciate the romance of the American idea, advise these young Knicks, remember the halcyon days of HBO... and make the case for reading books in the crowd.• Previously on PTFO: Celebrating These Knicks Title Vibes, with Desus Nice• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  USMNT's Tim Weah on World Cup Dreams, the American Idea... and Wu-Tang 19.06.2026 41min

  He is the realest member of Team USA — an activist athlete, from Brooklyn and the African diaspora, choosing to represent a divisive nation as it tries bringing the globe a little closer together. In a rare sit-down ahead of the U.S. men's national team match against Australia, Timothy Weah explains the pressure of this moment, the power of soccer over politics... and why the Knicks' good-luck charm might need to strike again.• Listen to The Athletic FC Podcast• Listen to Tifo Football Podcast• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The (Summer School) Sporting Class: Sex, Dolan and Contract Haircuts 18.06.2026 49min

  Did the Knicks owner's pump-up speech help them win it all? Did their players stop fornicating because of it? How much do billionaires matter to championships anyway? And should superstars sacrifice millions for the greater good? David Samson and Domonique Foxworth chart the power and powerlessness of the billionaire class.• Subscribe to "The Domonique Foxworth Show"• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  "Reverse 9/11": Celebrating These Knicks Title Vibes, with Desus Nice 17.06.2026 50min

  Transcendence on the court. Dancing in the streets. And a drunk Instagram Live for the ages. Why wait 'til the parade? Pablo raises a glass (while devouring an egg-and-cheese) with Desus — his fellow New Yorker and bard of Knicks nation — to the commute of a champion and the beauty of a bandwagon; to the drip of Landry Shamet and the sweat of Patrick Ewing; to KAT and OG and Wu-Tang and, yes, even Coldplay. Just not that traitor from Sesame Street.• Subscribe to "Desus Pieces"• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter • Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  UFC at the White House: How Dana White and Donald Trump Cashed In 12.06.2026 46min

  The president's birthday-party fight card is straight out of central casting — and chock-full of political favor-trading. Who stands to gain the most? Luke Thomas unapologetically explains why everyone, from MMA fans to D.C. pundits, is missing the real story... then unearths fresh evidence of a purely transactional relationship.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to "Morning Kombat" with Luke Thomas• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to The AthleticPreviously on PTFO:• The Right-Wing Takeover of Combat Sports Is Upon Us• The White House's Dirty Takeover of Public Golf Courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  America Signed Up for the World Cup. FIFA Stuck You with the Tab. 11.06.2026 56min

  The biggest party in global sport is underway, and soccer's governing body stands to profit nearly $9 billion. How did FIFA squeeze U.S. taxpayers with so many hidden costs? The Athletic's Adam Crafton crunches the numbers on wasted public money, as Pablo dissects comically absurd demands upon host cities — from "clean" stadiums and super-V.I.P. treatment... to a pop-up jail.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to The AthleticFurther reading:• "The U.S. signed up for the World Cup — and its host cities are paying for it"• "U.S. states waived taxes to host World Cup"• "The $25.8m Kansas City 'World Cup jail'"• Rahm Emanuel Q&A: 'The numbers don't work'" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.