The Daily

On this episode of “The Sunday Read,” staff writer Sam Anderson claims Weird Al Yankovic is not just a parody singer — he’s “a full-on rock star, a legitimate performance monster and a spiritual technician doing important work down in the engine room of the American soul.” In these absurd times, Sam reaches into his childhood to explain the enduring appeal of an absurd artist. This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

On this episode of “The Sunday Read,” staff writer Sam Anderson claims Weird Al Yankovic is not just a parody singer — he’s “a full-on rock star, a legitimate performance monster and a spiritual technician doing important work down in the engine room of the American soul.” In these absurd times, Sam reaches into his childhood to explain the enduring appeal of an absurd artist. This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Ali Jaffe and her grandmother Roslyn are self-quarantining 1,200 miles apart. Lately, they’ve been connecting — and coping — by cooking together over FaceTime. Ali is learning the recipes her grandmother cooked for her own children in the 1960s, a period when she had limited time and resources. Today, we listen in as they make matzo ball soup. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Ali Jaffe and her grandmother Roslyn are self-quarantining 1,200 miles apart. Lately, they’ve been connecting — and coping — by cooking together over FaceTime. Ali is learning the recipes her grandmother cooked for her own children in the 1960s, a period when she had limited time and resources. Today, we listen in as they make matzo ball soup. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Note: This episode contains strong language.As the death toll from the coronavirus rises in the U.S., so do reports of verbal and physical attacks against Asian-Americans, who say hostile strangers are blaming them for the pandemic. Today, one writer shares her story. Guest: Jiayang Fan, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Ms. Fan’s story is echoed across the country by others who say they have been spit on, yelled at and attacked. Asian-American community and political leaders have tried to comfort their constituents. But they, too, admit to feeling unnerved.Some have turned to social media to share their stories and procure medical supplies in an effort to aid the crisis response. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Note: This episode contains strong language.As the death toll from the coronavirus rises in the U.S., so do reports of verbal and physical attacks against Asian-Americans, who say hostile strangers are blaming them for the pandemic. Today, one writer shares her story. Guest: Jiayang Fan, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Ms. Fan’s story is echoed across the country by others who say they have been spit on, yelled at and attacked. Asian-American community and political leaders have tried to comfort their constituents. But they, too, admit to feeling unnerved.Some have turned to social media to share their stories and procure medical supplies in an effort to aid the crisis response. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The outbreak of the coronavirus in Louisiana has become one of the most explosive in the country. Today, we explore how New Orleans became a petri dish for the virus, why Mardi Gras was likely to have been an accelerator for the spread of infections and what it is like now inside the city’s hospitals. Guest: Yanti Turang, a nurse in New Orleans. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: As Mardi Gras came to a close, patients with mysterious respiratory illnesses began appearing in hospitals — many who had not recently left the country. The first Covid-19 diagnosis soon followed. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The outbreak of the coronavirus in Louisiana has become one of the most explosive in the country. Today, we explore how New Orleans became a petri dish for the virus, why Mardi Gras was likely to have been an accelerator for the spread of infections and what it is like now inside the city’s hospitals. Guest: Yanti Turang, a nurse in New Orleans. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: As Mardi Gras came to a close, patients with mysterious respiratory illnesses began appearing in hospitals — many who had not recently left the country. The first Covid-19 diagnosis soon followed. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Bernie Sanders has suspended his 2020 presidential campaign, marking the end of a quest to the White House that began five years ago. We look at why Sanders is calling his campaign an ideological victory, and how he plans to champion his messages as a senator working with the Democratic Party.“The Latest,” from the team behind “The Daily,” brings you the most important developments on today’s biggest news stories. You can find more information about it here. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Bernie Sanders has suspended his 2020 presidential campaign, marking the end of a quest to the White House that began five years ago. We look at why Sanders is calling his campaign an ideological victory, and how he plans to champion his messages as a senator working with the Democratic Party.“The Latest,” from the team behind “The Daily,” brings you the most important developments on today’s biggest news stories. You can find more information about it here. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Note: This episode contains strong language.The upheaval and anguish caused by the pandemic led to a series of actions that cost both the captain of an aircraft carrier and the head of the Navy their jobs. Today, we explore how the coronavirus has created a crisis inside the service.Guest: Eric Schmitt, who covers terrorism and national security for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: In a letter that leaked to the news media, Capt. Brett E. Crozier described what he said were the Navy’s failures to provide the resources to combat the virus spreading aboard his aircraft carrier. Now the captain himself has tested positive for Covid-19.Thomas B. Modly, acting Navy secretary, condemned the ousted captain to his former crew on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. Days later, Mr. Modly resigned. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Pod

Note: This episode contains strong language.The upheaval and anguish caused by the pandemic led to a series of actions that cost both the captain of an aircraft carrier and the head of the Navy their jobs. Today, we explore how the coronavirus has created a crisis inside the service.Guest: Eric Schmitt, who covers terrorism and national security for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: In a letter that leaked to the news media, Capt. Brett E. Crozier described what he said were the Navy’s failures to provide the resources to combat the virus spreading aboard his aircraft carrier. Now the captain himself has tested positive for Covid-19.Thomas B. Modly, acting Navy secretary, condemned the ousted captain to his former crew on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. Days later, Mr. Modly resigned. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Pod

Against the advice of public health officials and the wishes of its own governor, Wisconsin will hold its Democratic primary today — in the middle of a pandemic. So how did that happen? Guest: Astead W. Herndon, who covers national politics for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The political and legal fight between Wisconsin’s conservative state legislature and its Democratic governor was only the first round of an expected national fight over voting rights during the coronavirus crisis. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Against the advice of public health officials and the wishes of its own governor, Wisconsin will hold its Democratic primary today — in the middle of a pandemic. So how did that happen? Guest: Astead W. Herndon, who covers national politics for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The political and legal fight between Wisconsin’s conservative state legislature and its Democratic governor was only the first round of an expected national fight over voting rights during the coronavirus crisis. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

To contain the pandemic, the U.S. government has brought the economy to a halt. Today, we explore one result of their containment efforts: one of the worst unemployment crises in American history. Guest: Jim Tankersley, a reporter covering economic and tax policy for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The national unemployment rate is probably around 13 percent, The Times estimated. “Scary things are going on in our life right now,” one idled Lyft driver said.Whole sectors of the U.S. economy have gone dark to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Here’s what comes next. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

To contain the pandemic, the U.S. government has brought the economy to a halt. Today, we explore one result of their containment efforts: one of the worst unemployment crises in American history. Guest: Jim Tankersley, a reporter covering economic and tax policy for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The national unemployment rate is probably around 13 percent, The Times estimated. “Scary things are going on in our life right now,” one idled Lyft driver said.Whole sectors of the U.S. economy have gone dark to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Here’s what comes next. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

On this week’s “Sunday Read,” the magazine writer Jack Hitt introduces his story of how one 1960s bondage-film actress waged legal combat with a toy company for ownership over her husband’s mail-order aquatic-pet empire. The story is as crazy as it sounds.This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

On this week’s “Sunday Read,” the magazine writer Jack Hitt introduces his story of how one 1960s bondage-film actress waged legal combat with a toy company for ownership over her husband’s mail-order aquatic-pet empire. The story is as crazy as it sounds.This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Today, we’re sharing an excerpt from a new Times audio series called “Sugar Calling,” hosted by the best-selling author Cheryl Strayed. Each week, Cheryl will call a writer she admires in search of insight and courage. She’s turning to some of the most prolific writers of our time — all over the age of 60 — to ask the questions on all our minds: How do we stay calm when everything has been upended? How do we muster courage when fear is all around us?To start, Cheryl reaches out to the author George Saunders, her old friend and mentor."Sugar Calling" is a new podcast by The New York Times. You can listen to the full version of the first episode here. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Today, we’re sharing an excerpt from a new Times audio series called “Sugar Calling,” hosted by the best-selling author Cheryl Strayed. Each week, Cheryl will call a writer she admires in search of insight and courage. She’s turning to some of the most prolific writers of our time — all over the age of 60 — to ask the questions on all our minds: How do we stay calm when everything has been upended? How do we muster courage when fear is all around us?To start, Cheryl reaches out to the author George Saunders, her old friend and mentor."Sugar Calling" is a new podcast by The New York Times. You can listen to the full version of the first episode here. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.