Episodes

  • An Influencer's False Promise to Make His Followers Rich

    An Influencer's False Promise to Make His Followers Rich
    Apr 17 2026
    Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! In 2019, influencer Tai Lopez made a pitch to his social media followers: by buying up distressed retail brands like Radio Shack and Pier 1 out of bankruptcy, they could all get rich. But as WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner reports, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Lopez of running a “Ponzi-like scheme” through his company, Retail Ecommerce Ventures. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening/Viewing: - Influencer Arielle Charnas’s Fashion Fail - How a Miami Couple Used Empty Mansions to Pocket Millions Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Why People Aren't Lining Up for This $120,000 Job

    Why People Aren't Lining Up for This $120,000 Job
    Apr 16 2026
    The automotive industry is facing a shortage of mechanics. Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley has said his company’s dealerships have 5,000 open jobs – positions he says can pay up to $120,000 a year. WSJ’s Christopher Otts explains why more people aren’t taking him up on it. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The 20,000 Steps to a Walmart Manager’s Six-Figure Salary - The Repo Man Is Busier Than Ever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    22 mins
  • The Energy Shock Is Here

    The Energy Shock Is Here
    Apr 15 2026
    Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz means millions of barrels of oil are still trapped in the Persian Gulf. As countries around the world begin to feel the impact of that energy shock, new inflation numbers are signalling that the U.S. economy is being impacted too. WSJ’s David Uberti explains how the stock market and consumers are processing what could be the worst oil crisis ever. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Strait of Hormuz Showdown - In Iran, an Uneasy Calm Amid a Cease-Fire - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    19 mins
  • The IRS Shrank. Will That Lead to More Tax Cheating?

    The IRS Shrank. Will That Lead to More Tax Cheating?
    Apr 14 2026
    Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here!The Trump administration has shrunk the IRS. WSJ’s Richard Rubin reports on how the federal government has scaled back tax enforcement, leaving fewer federal employees to audit returns and collect unpaid tax debts. The cutbacks could lead to more Americans skirting the tax law. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Do You Refund $166 Billion? - DOGE: The Plan to Downsize the GovernmentSign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • The Strait of Hormuz Showdown

    The Strait of Hormuz Showdown
    Apr 13 2026
    President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. military would blockade the Strait of Hormuz sets up a risky showdown to control the strategic chokepoint. WSJ’s Vera Bergengruen explains what the blockade could look like, explores the global economic damage caused by the conflict and discusses what could come next in the war. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - In Iran, an Uneasy Calm Amid a Cease-Fire - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • Can Burger King Regain Its Crown?

    Can Burger King Regain Its Crown?
    Apr 10 2026
    When Tom Curtis took over as president of Burger King in 2021, the company was struggling. After joining, Curtis worked to update restaurants and streamline the menu. Jessica Mendoza talks with Curtis about the fast food chain’s recent struggles, the rising price of beef and his turn as a social media influencer. Further Listening: - KFC Got Fried in the Chicken Wars. Can It Come Back? - The Epic Mess at TGI Fridays - Red Lobster's New CEO Plots Its Comeback - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    22 mins
  • In Iran, an Uneasy Calm Amid a Cease-Fire

    In Iran, an Uneasy Calm Amid a Cease-Fire
    Apr 9 2026
    Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here!After nearly six weeks of war in Iran, a fragile cease-fire is holding for now. But for people on the ground, the uncertainty is far from over. Jessica Mendoza speaks with a Tehran resident living through the strangeness of war and WSJ’s Jared Malsin unpacks the sticking points for achieving long-term peace. Further Listening: - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 mins
  • Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold?

    Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold?
    Apr 8 2026
    The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week cease-fire. President Trump said the truce was conditional on Iran opening up the Strait of Hormuz. WSJ’s Damian Paletta explains how the fragile cease-fire came together, why there are still many unanswered questions and what comes next. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? - Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War - The Escalating Crisis at the Strait of Hormuz Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    19 mins