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Sarah Larson head shot - The New Yorker

Sarah Larson

Sarah Larson is a staff writer at The New Yorker.

Waking Up to a New York City Earthquake

After the most powerful quake in more than a century, the city was full of stories, arm-waving, and whispers of California.

What a Right-Wing Militia Sounds Like, from the Inside

“Chameleon: The Michigan Plot” is the latest podcast to show how extremist groups pair dangerous beliefs with an ordinary desire for community.

David Van Taylor Revives a Late Friend’s Passion Project

Jamie Livingston had a Spidey sense for when to take a photo; a new oratorio featuring his one-Polaroid-a-day habit opens at PAC NYC.

The Weirdest Night in Pop

A new Netflix documentary chronicles the dreamlike recording session for “We Are the World,” the 1985 charity single sung by a motley crew of America’s biggest pop stars.

“In the Know,” a Promising Satire of NPR That Never Quite Tunes In

The stop-motion comedy from Zach Woods, Brandon Gardner, and Mike Judge lacks the zingy acuity of its creators’ best work.

When Ron DeSantis Forgot His Coat

On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, the Florida governor faces blizzards, skeptical voters, and the chill of his own campaign.

When a Comedy Historian Googles “Disgusting Comedian”

Kliph Nesteroff, the author of “Outrageous,” and Marc Maron trade arcana on who offended whom—Carol Burnett? Albert Brooks?—and how.

A Podcast Memorial Service

The audio industry is in turmoil. But, at an event for “Death, Sex & Money,” voices were still keeping people together.

The Best Podcasts of 2023

With stellar shows about clothing, class politics, pop stars, and urban infrastructure, the year had something for everybody.

Barry Manilow Digs New York

To mark the opening of “Harmony,” his musical about the Weimar-era sextet the Comedian Harmonists, the singer went back home to Williamsburg and poked around.

So Long, “Strike Force Five”

As the W.G.A. strike ends, so does the chatty, chops-busting podcast from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers. What, if anything, did it teach us?

A Cube Glows in Downtown Manhattan

Beyond the amber marble that sheathes PAC NYC are three maximally transformable theatre spaces and a Marcus Samuelsson restaurant.

The Lies in Your Grocery Store

Most people accept the gimmicks of food labelling. One lawyer can’t stomach them.

Ken Jennings Has Some Questions About Death

The “Jeopardy!” host on the meaning of trivia, the awkwardness of personal anecdotes, and his new book—a travel guide to the afterlife.

Judy Blume’s Unfinished Endings

Her most famous novel, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is finally being adapted for the screen. But its mysteries remain rooted in real life.

Audie Cornish’s Long Struggle to Remake the News

Cornish has watched the media evolve, experiment, and experience dramatic layoffs. In “The Assignment,” her CNN podcast, she’s trying to find a new way forward.

An Upper East Side Temple of Culture Gets a Touch-Up

As 92NY prepares for its splashy sesquicentennial, modern-day Michelangelos restore a ninety-three-year-old ceiling mural of menorahs, lyres, and tablets.

Colin Quinn Just Wants to Make Small Talk

In his new show at the Lucille Lortel, the comedian examines how “Nice day, isn’t it?” and “How about those Mets?” can make the world a better place.

The Best Podcasts of 2022

There was plenty of turmoil in the industry, but many shows continued to nourish, illuminate, and delight.

How Weird Al Spoofed Himself

In a new bio-pic, the singer applies his talents to a surprising subject: his own rise to stardom.

Waking Up to a New York City Earthquake

After the most powerful quake in more than a century, the city was full of stories, arm-waving, and whispers of California.

What a Right-Wing Militia Sounds Like, from the Inside

“Chameleon: The Michigan Plot” is the latest podcast to show how extremist groups pair dangerous beliefs with an ordinary desire for community.

David Van Taylor Revives a Late Friend’s Passion Project

Jamie Livingston had a Spidey sense for when to take a photo; a new oratorio featuring his one-Polaroid-a-day habit opens at PAC NYC.

The Weirdest Night in Pop

A new Netflix documentary chronicles the dreamlike recording session for “We Are the World,” the 1985 charity single sung by a motley crew of America’s biggest pop stars.

“In the Know,” a Promising Satire of NPR That Never Quite Tunes In

The stop-motion comedy from Zach Woods, Brandon Gardner, and Mike Judge lacks the zingy acuity of its creators’ best work.

When Ron DeSantis Forgot His Coat

On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, the Florida governor faces blizzards, skeptical voters, and the chill of his own campaign.

When a Comedy Historian Googles “Disgusting Comedian”

Kliph Nesteroff, the author of “Outrageous,” and Marc Maron trade arcana on who offended whom—Carol Burnett? Albert Brooks?—and how.

A Podcast Memorial Service

The audio industry is in turmoil. But, at an event for “Death, Sex & Money,” voices were still keeping people together.

The Best Podcasts of 2023

With stellar shows about clothing, class politics, pop stars, and urban infrastructure, the year had something for everybody.

Barry Manilow Digs New York

To mark the opening of “Harmony,” his musical about the Weimar-era sextet the Comedian Harmonists, the singer went back home to Williamsburg and poked around.

So Long, “Strike Force Five”

As the W.G.A. strike ends, so does the chatty, chops-busting podcast from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers. What, if anything, did it teach us?

A Cube Glows in Downtown Manhattan

Beyond the amber marble that sheathes PAC NYC are three maximally transformable theatre spaces and a Marcus Samuelsson restaurant.

The Lies in Your Grocery Store

Most people accept the gimmicks of food labelling. One lawyer can’t stomach them.

Ken Jennings Has Some Questions About Death

The “Jeopardy!” host on the meaning of trivia, the awkwardness of personal anecdotes, and his new book—a travel guide to the afterlife.

Judy Blume’s Unfinished Endings

Her most famous novel, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is finally being adapted for the screen. But its mysteries remain rooted in real life.

Audie Cornish’s Long Struggle to Remake the News

Cornish has watched the media evolve, experiment, and experience dramatic layoffs. In “The Assignment,” her CNN podcast, she’s trying to find a new way forward.

An Upper East Side Temple of Culture Gets a Touch-Up

As 92NY prepares for its splashy sesquicentennial, modern-day Michelangelos restore a ninety-three-year-old ceiling mural of menorahs, lyres, and tablets.

Colin Quinn Just Wants to Make Small Talk

In his new show at the Lucille Lortel, the comedian examines how “Nice day, isn’t it?” and “How about those Mets?” can make the world a better place.

The Best Podcasts of 2022

There was plenty of turmoil in the industry, but many shows continued to nourish, illuminate, and delight.

How Weird Al Spoofed Himself

In a new bio-pic, the singer applies his talents to a surprising subject: his own rise to stardom.