FAQ NYC
375 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 134 ratingsA weekly dive into the big questions about this city of ours, hosted by Christina Greer, Azi Paybarah and Harry Siegel, and produced by Alex Brook Lynn.
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Episodes
Episode 310: Election Extra with Ben Max
November 08, 2023 15:00 - 33 minutes - 22.7 MBA Republican beat an incumbent to claim a Council seat in the Bronx, while a Republican incumbent fell short in Brooklyn.
Episode 309: The Feds Move In and the Mayor Leans Back
November 06, 2023 23:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBForget about Trump testifying and everything else from another jam-packed week in New York City: Chrissy, Katie and Harry spend all of this episode talking about the FBI's raid of his chief fundraiser's house and where that leaves Eric Adams and New York City.
Episode 308: The FDNY Keeps Shutting Down Migrant Shelters
October 30, 2023 22:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBCo-hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss kids in tents, city hall’s crude insult comedy, Eric Adams’ strong political hand and much more.
Episode 307: NYC's New Plan for Migrant Families ‘Is Like Being a Little Bit Pregnant’
October 23, 2023 22:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBChristine Quinn and Bishop Matthew Heyd explain how their new coalition, called NY Sane, aims to pressure the mayor and governor to treat migrants the same way they would any one else seeking shelter here.
Episode 306: The Mayor Can't Help It
October 17, 2023 20:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBCo-hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss Eric Adams' discipline problem, Republican allies, his multi-lingual AI voice avatar and much more.
Episode 305: A Shrill Trump, Rude Throats and Dread Clamours
October 11, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBWhat did Eric Adams trip south of the border accomplish? The FAQ NYC hosts discuss that and much more in an episode centered on how the world's events register, with or without pomp and circumstance, in the city's politics.
Episode 304: The Sign Painters’ Image Shaper
October 08, 2023 01:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBKatie Honan talks with Aviram Cohen about his work supporting brothers Carlos and Miguel Cevallos as their hand-painted signs went from a secret of sorts to a sensation.
Episode 303: Adams Unleashes Flood of Words After Storm Silence
October 02, 2023 23:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBFollowing his failure to communicate before his city was flooded, the mayor made the media rounds to insist he’d performed perfectly. Sound familiar? Come to hear hosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss that, and stick around for an enlightening interview with Adams, speaking with Vital City, about gun violence, the right way and the wrong way for police to do stops, questions and frisks, and much more.
Episode 302: High Times, NYC an an Exceptional Agent of Chaos
September 30, 2023 15:00 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MBAuthor Sean Howe goes deep into some of the stories in his wild new book, "Agents of Chaos: Thomas King Forçade, High Times, and the Paranoid End of the 1970s."
Episode 301: If You Zone It, They Will Build
September 26, 2023 23:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBCity Planning Commission Director Daniel Garodnick makes the case for the Adams administration’s hugely ambitious new plan to update “our zoning rules that have over time gotten in the way,” so that developers can build what City Hall has described as “a little more housing in every neighborhood” adding up to a projected 100,000 new homes over 15 years.
Episode 300: Three Rocks, Two Cartoonists and the Story of the Bronx Boy Behind ‘Nancy’
September 23, 2023 20:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBBill Griffith discusses his new graphic novel, "Three Rocks," about Ernie Bushmiller, the cartoonist who created the iconic strip, and goes deep into some New York City newspaper history in the process.
Episode 299: ‘When Does the Hard Part Start?’ This Is the Hard Part.
September 19, 2023 01:00 - 34 minutes - 15.8 MBJust two years ago, more than 90 percent of New Yorkers applying for food stamps and other benefits received them in a timely fashion. Now, it’s fewer than 30 percent. Co-hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss what it means for New Yorkers, and for the mayor, when stuff isn’t getting done, and much more.
Episode 298: Why Doesn’t NYC Just Let Migrants Work?
September 12, 2023 01:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBState Sen. Zellnor Myrie rejoins the pod for a lively conversation about his plan for the city to do just that, and much more.
Episode 297: The Mayor's Magical Thinking
September 06, 2023 00:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBEric Adams is done with Covid, but Covid may not be done with New York City. The FAQ NYC hosts dig into that and much more in a post-Labor Day, return-of-the-school-year episode.
Episode 296: New Yorkers Run Low on Sympathy for Migrants as the Feds Run Low on Sympathy for NYC
August 31, 2023 19:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBWith a new poll showing most people in the city think New York has already done enough for migrants, co-host Christina Greer talks with Harry Siegel about what that means for a place where a lot of people are "progressive in theory," why she's sounding an alarm for Eric Adams given the history of Black mayors in America, and much more.
Episode 295: Who's in Charge Here?!
August 25, 2023 02:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBHosts Christina Greer and Katie Honan break down another jam-packed week in New York City, covering migrant housing plans, questionable donors to Adams' 2021 campaign, and who holds down the city when the mayor, for a variety of possible reasons, cannot.
Episode 294: ‘The Greatest Disappointment Is the Governor’
August 17, 2023 22:00 - 42 minutes - 28.9 MBDave Giffen of the Coalition for the Homeless and Josh Goldfein of Legal Aid talk with Katie Honan about what Kathy Hochul should be doing but is not as "she's apparently forgotten she's also the governor of people who live in New York City," what Mayor Eric Adams is saying that doesn't hold up, and much more.
Episode 293: A Different Way of Shooting Drugs
August 13, 2023 12:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MBPhotographer Stephen Yang joins Alex Brook Lynn and Harry Siegel for a conversation about capturing private moments in public settings, the differences between photojournalism and street photography, why tabloids have traditionally frowned on high-contrast shots (spoiler: those require too much black ink to print) and much more.
Episode 292: Beware of Sharks, and Drones
August 09, 2023 12:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBAlbert Fox Cahn of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project joins hosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel to dig into the problems with automated enforcement, the perils in letting police collect too much data, and more.
Episode 291: ‘The Radios Will Go Dark. You Will Hear Nothing.’
August 06, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBJournalist Todd Maisel spent 40 years listening to police scanners, letting the scratchy radio sounds guide him to some of the biggest news stories in New York City. He's now sounding the alarm over the NYPD's plan to encrypt these radios -- turning them off for everyone who isn't in the police. "Do we trust he police to tell the truth? I don't," he told FAQ. Silent radios "is bad for the public, it's bad for checks and balances, it is a real problem," he said. Listen to the full interview he...
Episode 290: ‘It's Not Going to Get Any Better’
August 01, 2023 18:00 - 29 minutes - 20.6 MBChristina Greer and Harry Siegel dig into New York City's collapsing right to shelter, the unlikely companies the Adams administration is paying to provide services to migrants and much more from another jam-packed week in New York City.
Episode 289: Unpacking the Eric Adams Playbook
July 25, 2023 23:00 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MBJeff Coltin joins Christina Greer and Katie Honan to dig into how the mayor and his prospective 2025 challengers are positioning himself, and all the news from another jam-packed week in New York City.
Episode 288: The Three C's
July 19, 2023 14:00 - 29 minutes - 19.9 MBHosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel talk about the new NYPD commish Eddie Caban, Crime and Corruption, and much more.
Episode 287: A Plan for a Retail Revival
July 14, 2023 01:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBJonathan Bowles of the Center for an Urban Future lays out the group's ideas for what government can do to help new small businesses prosper.
Episode 286: Red (Ex-Mayor) Table Talk
July 05, 2023 17:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBHosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel talk about the 109th mayor of New York City’s very public separation, the 110th mayor’s press strategy, and much more.
Episode 285: Big-Time Upsets in a Low Turnout Election
June 28, 2023 19:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBBen Max joins Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel to break down everything that happened in a contest that most New Yorkers missed.
Episode 284: The Digital Revolution Is a Local NYC Story
June 25, 2023 12:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBBen Smith, the author of Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral, talks with Azi Paybarah about Silicon Alley, the internet of the early 2000s, and why local politics is less scalable than it used to be.
Episode 283: Who By Fire, Who By Sword
June 21, 2023 00:45 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBA conversation about fire deaths, train killings and much more from a man-stabs-dog week in New York City.
Episode 282: The NYPD’s ‘Italian Squad’ Fought the Mob, and Mayors
June 16, 2023 18:00 - 32 minutes - 22.7 MBYears before the NYPD targeted Muslims, Black radicals and other groups with specialized and sometimes undercover operations, the Italian Squad prompted pushback for its aggressive tactics, and from Italian-American leaders concerned about their community’s public image as immigrants sought to assimilate. Paul Moses, author of “The Italian Squad: The True Story of the Immigrant Cops Who Fought the Rise of the Mafia” recounts the NYPD’s efforts to grapple with organized criminals preying on It...
Episode 281: The Ex-Cops Complete Their NYPD Takeover
June 13, 2023 20:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBHosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel break down another jam-packed week in New York City, complete with Rikers madness, NYPD upheaval, a brand new Bronx landmark and much more.
Episode 280: ‘His Art Brings Joy to a Lot of People’
June 10, 2023 02:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBWhen he wasn’t making ends meet as a handyman or selling lumber or heating oil around New York City, John Hedderson was making big and bold paintings about the people, places, and pets that made up his world. Since his death in front of a blank canvas in 2016, his daughter MaryAnn has been trying to go through his art and put it out into the world, including at an art show opening on Saturday, June 10, and running through the end of July at Espresso 77 in Jackson Heights, Queens.
Episode 279: Gun Cops Aren’t Beat Cops, Even if Eric Adams Calls Them ‘Neighborhood Safety’ Cops
June 07, 2023 01:00 - 34 minutes - 23.4 MBHosts Christina Greer, Katie Honan and Harry Siegel run down another jam-packed week in New York City, discussing everything from the Adams administration’s Rikers blackout and a self-policing experiment in Brownsville to the gift that the rapper Dres of Black Sheep gave to fans in the rain mourning Phife Dawg and much more.
Episode 278: ‘This Is Why Eric Adams Makes Sense’
May 30, 2023 20:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MBHosts Christina Greer and Harry Siegel discuss a damning new federal monitor report on New York's disastrous jails system, the mayor's political appeal and much more.
Episode 277: The Booksellers of Brooklyn Take Flight
May 26, 2023 20:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBDavi Marra and Briana Parker tell Harry Siegel about their plans for Lofty Pigeon Books, opening in Kensington at the end of the summer, and Dimitrios Fragiskatos tells Azi Paybarah about what led him to open Anyone Comics in Crown Heights — where Azi had his wedding! — and then Everyone Comics in Long island City.
Episode 276: A Retconned Origin Story
May 24, 2023 01:00 - 43 minutes - 29.5 MBHosts Katie Honan and Harry Siegel discuss the mayor's new account of being arrested and incarcerated as a teen, City Hall’s plans for newly arrived migrants, this summer’s lifeguard shortage and much more.
Episode 275: A Two-Trumpet Town
May 22, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBIn the latest installment of his occasional series, Into Something, Greg Glassman and fellow trumpeter James Zollar play together, and talk about what it takes to make it a musician in the Big Apple and much more.
Episode 274: "At Best to Be Pitied, at Worst to Be Reviled"
May 13, 2023 01:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBIn this off-cycle edition, host Katie Honan and organizing and outreach specialist at the Urban Justice Center Karim Walker discuss the arduous path from being homeless to being housed, the endless need for fresh socks, and the breakdown in trust that comes with a broken system.
Episode 273: City Stressed Out
May 09, 2023 18:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBIn the wake of Jordan Neely's killing, hosts Christina Greer and Katie Honan break down subways, migrants, Black leaders, and more...
Episode 272: Party City: Casinos, Weddings, and Galas, Oh My!
May 02, 2023 21:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBFrom the $229 Billion Big Ugly to the downstate gambling boondoggle to free weddings at Gracie Mansion, hosts Christina Greer and Katie Honan run down another jam-packed week of everything coming up aces for at least some New Yorkers.
Episode 271: We Need To Hold the NYPD Accountable
April 26, 2023 01:00 - 50 minutes - 34.7 MBCouncilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers of Queens joins the pod to discuss some of the council's street-safety and transportation bills and much more.
Episode 270: Digidogs Unleashed In ‘Fear City’
April 18, 2023 20:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBThe GOP is swinging wildly at the Manhattan DA, the NYPD is sending in the bots, again, and much more from another jam-packed week in New York City.
Episode 269: Budget Breakdown: Mo Money Mo Problems
April 12, 2023 01:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this week's episode of FAQ NYC, Christina holds down the fort with special guest host Ben Max of Gotham Gazette. They break down NYC financial constraints, the delayed Albany budget, and Gov Hochul's recent chief judge nominee. They also discuss how the vision of Mayor Adams is meeting the realities of his governing style, the budget delays of Gov Kathy Hochul due to bail reform, and whether the Knicks and Nets will do well in the playoffs. It's a packed episode...Go Mets.
Episode 268: Trump Got Arrested and Life Went on As Usual Around NYC
April 05, 2023 01:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBAn instant vintage time capsule of a street scene outside the courthouse that seemed like much ado about nothing.
Episode 267: What It Takes to Build Community Power
April 02, 2023 01:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBRev. David K. Brawley, pastor of St. Paul’s Community Baptist Church in East New York and co-chair of the community organizing group Metro-IAF talks about the legacy of the Nehemiah Homes, what Mayor Eric Adams should know about mobilizing faith in politics, how to tackle New York City’s affordable housing crisis and much more.
Episode 266: Eric Adams' Excellent(?) Albany Adventure
March 29, 2023 02:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBThe mayor's first trip last year was something of a let-down; will the sequel exceed expectations? Plus, a war on rats, a climate shot in the dark and much more.
Episode 265: What's In a (NYC).Name
March 25, 2023 18:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBRebecca Bratspies discusses her book, “Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues, and Heroes Behind New York’s Place Names,” and dig into what our street names say about who gets to write the city’s history.
Episode 264: Who ❤️ We ❤️ NYC.nyc?
March 22, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBA conversation about Alvin Bragg's bid to take down Donald Trump, the NYPD's disdain for the CCRB, a much maligned new version of a beloved old logo, and much more.
Episode 263: Invisible Viruses on the Big Screen
March 18, 2023 20:00 - 38 minutes - 26.1 MBDr. Steven Thrasher — curator of the Viruses on Film series screening at BAM now — talks about the experience of people coming together to watch movies about something that's everywhere but can't be seen. .
Episode 262: Of Mayors and Mekons
March 15, 2023 10:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBA story about the time that Phil Banks said stop-and-frisk wasn't a thing, plus a post-credits mini-concert from Jon Langford of the Mekons, performing last week in Alphabet City.
Episode 261: A Bad Look for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
March 08, 2023 03:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBThe progressive icon didn’t pay her hair person or makeup artist until after the Congressional Ethics Committee started looking into her Met Gala appearance, as a guest of Vogue, in that “Tax the Rich” gown. Meantime, the city’s budget season is heating up and the mayor and the City Council have very different ideas about how much the city should be spending and Eric Adams is fed up with masks. All that and much more from another jam-packed week in New York City gets discussed on the latest e...