FAQ NYC artwork

FAQ NYC

375 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 134 ratings

A 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 23: No Access

February 07, 2019 12:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MB

With the tragic death of Malaysia Goodson reigniting New Yorkers' fears and concerns about making it into and out of the subway tunnels, we spoke to engineer and advocate Chris Pangilinan about a system that still mostly depends on stairs — and what it's like to depend on that system when you can't use the stairs.

Episode 22: ICE's Courthouse Jump Offs

January 31, 2019 12:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MB

We talk federal arrests inside state courts with Documented NY's Mazin Sidahmed and Felipe de la Hoz. Plus, state Sen. Gustavo Rivera talks with Christina about the blue new day in Albany, and Victoria Bekiempis explains to Harry why Robert de Niro's divorce is — really! — a matter of some public importance.

Episode 21: El Chapo's Burgundy Burn

January 24, 2019 04:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MB

Chrissy and Harry talk with turncoat Azi Paybarah about door knocking Peter Parker in Queens, Timesman Alan Feuer about the madness of the El Chapo trial in Brooklyn, and courts reporter Victoria Bekiempis about Harvey Weinstein's wired new legal team.

Episode 20: New York's Californication

January 17, 2019 13:00 - 45 minutes - 31 MB

The state of the state is changing fast, for a change. Chris Smith joins Chrissy and Harry to discuss.

Episode 19: L-pocalypse Nah

January 10, 2019 14:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MB

The governor controls the train authority that planned and warned for years that the L train tunnel would need to be shut down for repairs after Hurricane Sandy ravaged it back in 2012. Then Governor Cuomo walked through the tunnel in 2019, and emerged with a new plan averting the shutdown and a retconned origin story about that plan. Huh? MTA board member Veronica Vanterpool and transit reporter Aaron Gordon join us to make some sense of this, and, err, break down the sorry state of our pub...

Episode 18: Our 2018 Kicker

December 20, 2018 16:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MB

We talk De Blasio, Cuomo, NYCHA, and more. Plus Alex Brook Lynn on the death of the Cornelia Street Cafe, and Victoria Bekiempis takes you in the courts.

Episode 17: Nazis and Street Fights in Victory City

December 13, 2018 18:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MB

White supremacists holding rallies with fascists and anti-fascists brawling outside, and war looming. Maybe that sounds like NYC in 2018, but we're talking NYC in WWII and the years around it along with special guests John Strausbaugh, author of "Victory City: A history of New York and New Yorkers during World War II," and Ron Howell, author of "Boss of Black Brooklyn: The life and times of Bertram L. Baker."

Episode 16: Albany's Sex Crimes Horror Show

December 06, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MB

“I’m a single woman. I don't come from wealth. How do I survive this experience so I can get a job again? In politics, your loyalty and your network is your value and taking on a member as powerful as Vito, you’re not just taking on that member—you’re taking on their entire network and everything that network has to lose and especially if your claims aren’t enough to bring them down…I started to change my own behavior just to survive… I was suicidal. I was on my last legs."

Episode 15: NYCHA's SOS

November 29, 2018 13:00 - 46 minutes - 31.7 MB

Councilman Ritchie Torres and Daily News investigative reporter Greg B. Smith discuss lead, neglect, private money and public housing. Plus Gwynne Hogan goes to the Andrew Jackson houses in the Bronx to talk with Daniel Barber, the leader of the group of tenants associations suing New York City.

Episode 14: Ugly Optical Illusion

November 15, 2018 13:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MB

Voting in New York is a certified disaster. Michael Benjamin joins the FAQ crew to discuss why that is, and how to fix it. Plus Chirissy Greer, on her way to Georgia, breaks down the unsettled governor's race there, and much more…a including ChapAzon.

Episode 13: Fresh From the Election Day Coup

November 07, 2018 12:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MB

Ben Max of Gotham Gazette sat down with us in the wee hours of Wednesday morning for a first look at the polls, and a new day in New York where fat cats just might get slapped back. Plus Alex Brook Lynn hits Staten Island and South Brooklyn Tuesday to talk with voters, and so much more.

Episode 12: The ‘Authentically Effervescent’ Mr. Johnson

November 01, 2018 12:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MB

🎶 Corey Johnson may be the City Council speaker, but we've got him singing in our first ever musical episode.

Episode 11: Molinaro, the Mooch & the State of the N.Y. GOP

October 25, 2018 12:00 - 42 minutes - 31 MB

We talked in person about the sad state of the Republican party here, and on the phone with the Republican who would be governor who evokes some of what the party once was and, he hopes, could be. Alex Lynn reports from her night out partying with Anthony Scaramucci and his mom who—spoiler alert!—also does not think much of Steve Bannon. Plus a truly disgraceful tribute to Azi, and it all adds up to oh so much New York in your ear.

Episode 10: November Stakes

October 11, 2018 13:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MB

With Democrats poised to keep holding every statewide office, FAQ talked with City and State's Rebecca C. Lewis about the high stakes fights for control of the state Senate in Albany and the House in Washington, and the races here that could decide which party triumphs.

Episode 9: Jumaane's 'No Inside Dude'

October 04, 2018 11:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MB

Councilman Jumaane Williams was thisclose to becoming the Lieutenant Governor Andrew Cuomo dreaded. He fell short, but his political stock has never been higher. He talked with the FAQ crew about the change coming to Albany, the state of New York City and what's next for him — including the friendship that might keep him from running for public advocate.

8.2 Short: Jumaane Williams

October 03, 2018 12:00 - 4 minutes - 3.55 MB

Here's a taste of Jumaane Williams, on clearing the lieutenant governor's for the Working Families Party with a new "campaign" against state Senator Simcha Felder; full interview up soon.

8.1 Short: Howie Hawkins

October 02, 2018 14:00 - 3 minutes - 6.26 MB

Azi talks with the Green Party gubernatorial hopeful Howie Hawkins, who makes his case and talks some stuff about the Working Families Party.

Episode 8: STRINGER

September 27, 2018 10:00 - 37 minutes - 28.7 MB

Scott STRINGER or STRINGER Bell? ——You have any idea what I had to do to get where I am today? When I say I’m ready, you best believe it. (The youngsters?) Look, I’m going to empower this generation.… learning how to work the system. I had to learn it when I was 30; and they will learn it as well. If the man coming, make ready for the man. I don’t think it has to be about me vs. new people. Why not embrace new people and collectively work? Everybody making money sharing the real estate. This ...

Episode 7: IDC Heads Roll, and so Does the Cuomo Machine

September 14, 2018 13:00 - 26 minutes - 18.8 MB

New York's Democrats came out in force, to punish local incumbents even as they stood behind Cuomo and helped Tish James, his pick for attorney general, make some history.

Episode 6: How Thou Ought to Vote

September 06, 2018 11:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MB

A week before primary day — the moment of truth in most New York elections — we pull back the curtain on the voice of the papers in a conversation with editorial board members Mara Gay of the New York Times and Alyssa Katz of the Daily News about how they decide who gets the nod, and why this may be the rare year in which endorsements really matter.

Episode 5: AG Hopefuls Talk RE & DJT

August 30, 2018 12:00 - 51 minutes - 37.1 MB

In a supersized episode 5, we ask aspiring Attorneys General Zephyr Teachout, Tish James, Sean Patrick Maloney and Leecia Eve to say whether or not Donald Trump and his crew are emblematic of the New York real estate world, and what would change if each of them gets to be the new sheriff in town. Plus, former A.G. candidate Mark Green runs down this year's race and revisits several of his old ones.

Episode 4: The Curse of Tom Suozzi

August 23, 2018 20:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MB

Are you listening, Cynthia Nixon? The original Democratic underdog has some thoughts on what it’s like to run against the party powers that be for governor of New York.

Episode 3: FAQ Meets BdB

August 17, 2018 10:00 - 47 minutes - 34.2 MB

Mayor Bill de Blasio sat down with us at Gracie Mansion to talk about his Murdoch-oriented media critique, how his progressive Democrats have already won the fight for the soul of the party, and why — hey, Cynthia Nixon! — he still he isn't ready to endorse some of those progressives.

Episode 2: De Blasio’s Moon Shot Mission to Albany

August 09, 2018 01:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MB

New York City is the center of the universe, at least we think so. But what if it turned out that the universe didn’t revolve around us but in fact we revolved around… Albany? If the Democrats finally retake the state Senate and the Empire State turns deep blue, everything changes for Mayor de Blasio. Or at least that's what he hopes. We talked with political science professor Jeanne Zaino and Working Families Party boss Bill Lipton about the high stakes in this year's elections, plus City Co...

Episode 1: The Return of John Liu

August 02, 2018 03:00 - 28 minutes - 21.8 MB

John Liu thought he was on track to be New York City's next mayor in 2013 before a federal investigation overshadowed his run. Now, he says, things have changed and he's trying to get back in the game as one of a group of Democrats running primaries against the former so-called "Independent Democrats" who've helped Republicans keep control of the state Senate.

Twitter Mentions

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