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The West Wing Weekly

Author: Joshua Malina & Hrishikesh Hirway

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An episode-by-episode discussion of The West Wing, one of television’s most beloved shows, co-hosted by one of its stars, Joshua Malina, along with Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder.
189 Episodes
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The American President

The American President

2024-10-0101:00:58

It's the first installment of the Political Film Fest, and we've got: Martin Sheen in the oval office! "What is the virtue of a proportional response?" The GDC! There are so many familiar elements in The American President, and yet, the film feels dramatically different from The West Wing (and at times, comedically different). It's our first episode, and we're going to talk about what we loved, what we didn't, and everything in between. Let's dive in! We’ve gotta start early because we're having lunch at the Kremlin.Some goodies: Here's the trailer for the film. Check out this great poster from Italy for Il Presidente. What did you think of The American President? Let us know how you would rate it on a scale of 1–10 Virginia hams. Sorry: Virginias ham. To join in the discussion, listen to ad-free versions of TWWWPFF, and get additional benefits, subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/thewestwingweekly.
After four years away, we're bringing back The West Wing Weekly in a new form. As this election season heats up, we're taking a weekly respite from the stress of reality, and turning towards political cinema instead. We're watching and discussing some of our favorite films. It's the same mix of analysis and nonsense that you’ve come to expect from The West Wing Weekly, but applied to a different movie each week. We're starting our journey in the familiar territory of Aaron Sorkin dialogue, with The American President. We're launching this podcast on our Patreon page, for paid subscribers. Go to patreon.com/thewestwingweekly to subscribe and join us. There are different tiers to choose from, starting at $5/month. Every paid tier has access to the podcast, with additional benefits and ways to connect with us and other TWWWPFF listeners at higher tiers. Okay, what's next? We're back! Let's go! patreon.com/thewestwingweekly
On Saturday, August 10, we celebrated the publication of the new book "What's Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service" by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack. Josh and Hrishi moderated a discussion with them, along with special guests Aaron Sorkin, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, and Richard Schiff. The event took place in front of a sold out audience at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Buy "What's Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service" here. To see some photos of the event, visit thewestwingweekly.com/021.And subscribe to our new series, The West Wing Weekly Political Film Fest, at patreon.com/thewestwingweekly!
We’re back! The West Wing cast reunited for this special episode, so we got back together to discuss it. And Aaron Sorkin joins us to talk about his experiences adapting "Hartsfield’s Landing" for this voter turnout initiative. Please go to whenweallvote.org to donate! For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/020
We want to introduce you to a brand new emergency quarantine podcast mini-series called Home Cooking. It’s from Hrishi and chef Samin Nosrat, author of the award-winning cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and host of the Netflix show by the same name. The first episode just came out, and features Josh as the special guest. If you’ve missed hearing Josh and Hrishi in conversation, we thought you’d appreciate this excerpt. The rest of the episode centers around giving people advice about what to cook with whatever they’ve got in the house, and we think you’ll really enjoy it! Listen and subscribe to Home Cooking on your favorite podcast app, or at homecooking.show.
As the Bartlet administration ends, so does our podcast. We recorded our finale live in Los Angeles, at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel. This episode has two parts: first, we discuss "Tomorrow," with several guests joining us. Then, we take a fond look back at the entire series, along with thirty (30!) guests from the cast and crew, including Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme. Here’s everyone who was with us on stage: Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Marlee Matlin, Jack Jason, Kathleen York, Allison Smith, Melissa Fitzgerald, Ramon de Ocampo, Evan Arnold, Karis Campbell, Teri Polo, Christopher Misiano, Dylan K. Massin, Matthew Del Negro, Eli Attie, Jimmy Smits, Josh Singer, Mary McCormack, Kevin Falls, Lawrence O'Donnell, Paul Redford, Ron Ostrow, Kim Webster, Peter James Smith, William Duffy, Tim Davis-Reed Thanks for listening to the podcast. We're very grateful for the experience we’ve had making this over the past four years. Okay. What's next? For more, including photos from the event, visit thewestwingweekly.com/722
CJ & Danny and Will & Kate all ponder what's next, and Josh & Hrishi do, too, as we discuss "Institutional Memory." We're joined by someone who also posseses institutional memory: the fantastic Janet Ashikaga, editor on The West Wing (including this episode), as well as Sports Night and Seinfeld. Plus: listen to the trailer for Hrishi’s new podcast, Partners, and subscribe to it here. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/721
We discuss "The Last Hurrah" in this, our antepenultimate hurrah. And what a hurrah it is, with not one, but two great guests: Mary-Louise Parker and Teri Polo. Hurrah! For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/720
We traveled all the way to London to make a lot of references to "Fiddler on the Roof." Bradley Whitford joined us to record this episode in front of a sold-out crowd at the Hammersmith Apollo. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/719
0.19: John Wells

0.19: John Wells

2019-12-1701:00:38

For our last episode of the year, we've got a special one with television legend John Wells. We've been talking about him for seven seasons, and now we finally got him to talk to us directly. Our conversation spans the entire history of The West Wing, since John Wells served as Executive Producer for every single episode. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/019 Right now, Radiotopia is holding its annual fundraiser. Help us keep The West Wing Weekly available and free forever by supporting the network. Make your mark. Go to **radiotopia.fm** to donate today.
In this episode, some thoughts on John Spencer, shared by Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney, Rob Lowe, Jimmy Smits, Kristin Chenoweth, Matthew Del Negro, Emily Procter, Eli Attie, Michael Hissrich, and Josh Malina. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/718 Support The West Wing Weekly and Radiotopia. Make your mark. Go to radiotopia.fm today.
In the main foyer of our podcast, we have this small block of cheese, there for any and all who might want a snack. We want this block of cheese to stick around forever, and never get moldy, or get thrown out! To do so, we’re hoping you’ll support our wonderful podcast network, Radiotopia, the refrigerator that keeps our show fresh in this increasingly painful metaphor. We’re sharing some stories from you, our lovely listeners, in hopes that you’ll want to chip in and help keep this podcast around forever. Make your mark, go to http://radiotopia.fm to donate today. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/018
As we finish the long arc of the Presidential campaign with this momentous West Wing episode, Jimmy Smits joins us to tell us about his experience playing Matt Santos. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/717. Right now, Radiotopia is holding its annual fundraiser. Help us keep The West Wing Weekly available and free forever by supporting the network. Make your mark. Go to radiotopia.fm to donate today.
This week’s episode is one of love and loss, but with our guests this week, we’re celebrating the joyful side. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich wrote this episode, and she and her husband, West Wing line producer Michael Hissrich, join us to tell us how their path together mirrored and influenced Josh and Donna’s. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/716
Before we get to the end, we're going back to the beginning. For this bonus episode, we talk to John Levey, Emmy-winning casting director for the first two seasons of The West Wing, about putting together our renowned ensemble. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/017
In this week's episode, Toby says, "You should do the crossword," so Hrishi made a mini puzzle to go along with our discussion. Get a PDF of the puzzle at thewestwingweekly.com/715. ACROSS 1. Grammy-winning singer and creator of questionable slogans, Bon _ 5. Nights before, like Erevs Yom Kippur 6. What Josh wants when he yells, "I want the numbers!" 7. __ chunks, like when you eat way too much candy DOWN 1. POTUS’s rap name, maybe 2. The room where it happens 3. To do this, actually, you stamp it, then sign it 4. The second thing Caesar said he did, in a saying
7.14: Two Weeks Out

7.14: Two Weeks Out

2019-10-3044:50

We take this episode in our bone-crushing grip and shake it with everything we've got. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/714
Josh and Donna There on my TV   K-I-S-S-I-N-G Let's discuss. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/713
Eli Attie joins us to discuss this tension-filled episode about a potential nuclear disaster. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/712
Bradley Whitford returns to gleefully tell us about writing this episode and giving Josh the lines, "I can't act. I'm a terrible actor." And Annabeth Gish joins us, too! (How lucky are we?) We talk to her about the complicated character of Liz Bartlet Westin, whom she portrayed so thoughtfully. For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/711
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Comments (43)

Ruth Gordon

43:15

Aug 20th
Reply

smazzk

It's one of the funniest episodes yet of this normally very intelligent & and well-spoken podcast. The lady etymolygist with the s**thole was hilarious.

Oct 21st
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Robert Chenery

This is one of the best west wing episodes and Richard was beautiful in this one .

Jul 24th
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Jennifer Paterson Stacey

Just ordered my WWW Tshirt!! I hope I'm the first one in Canada 🇨🇦 to show this off!! Ok, Ok, what's next?

Nov 19th
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Helen L

I always thought that Toby's unfinished point/epiphany about the NEA/Arthur Miller was about him wanting to work for a president like FDR - fighting for better for the citizens during economic crisis and war. And maybe also Aaron highlighting a way in which Bartlet actually IS like FDR, having a severe illness that could be debilitating? Though, of course, FDR couldn't hide his paralysis from the voters, so the comparison doesn't necessarily work in Bartlet's favour.

Nov 10th
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ID20145997

I can’t get enough of the West Wing show!

Oct 29th
Reply

daniel urwand

woohoo!

Oct 28th
Reply

Jennifer Paterson Stacey

I so completely love this show. I bought the DVDs years ago, and binge-watch it at least once a year. I'm also Canadian, and so I love it when they breakdown the details about how the US government works. I still don't understand all of it, despite Aaron's patient explanations throughout the shows life, but I enjoy it nonetheless. I have to say thank you for bringing this show back to life for me, there is no other show like this that I love as much!!

Sep 17th
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Phillip Harkin

I always wondered why Donna asked Ainsley if they looked alike. I always assumed the date Donna had somehow had something to do with her asking that question?

Sep 6th
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Ruth Gordon

05:08

Jul 3rd
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Greg Nelson

Jrishi took issue when Toby said we don't ask for a show of hands; laws don't work like that. I've always connected it to a few episodes earlier when Joey told Josh that numbers lie and that those numbers where telling him to dial it up because they needed to convince more people.

Feb 27th
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Greg Nelson

Twice CJ days something about going to the blackboard and raising your hand. In my day you had to raise your hand before going to the blackboard

Feb 24th
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Greg Nelson

Why does everything have a "reason why?" The "reason" and the "why" are the same thing. Just say "the reason."

Feb 21st
Reply

Phillip Harkin

I believe "what's doing" is east coast/possibly Italian.

Feb 2nd
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Diane Thompson

This is/was an AMAZING podcast❤ So sad to see it go 😭 All the best to Hrishi and Joshua in their future endeavors (yes even Josh 😜)

Jan 29th
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Danielle K. Anderson

I know I'm super late, here; and I don't know if anyone has commented before, but I wanted to speak to Lionel Tribbey's pronunciation. Many native Washingtonians say, "UM-brella." I have found personally, that it's a particularly southern trait, and knowing that John Larroquette is from New Orleans, it could just be more natural for him.

Jan 22nd
Reply

Samantha Williams-Clark

Great job on The Cold episode!!! It was great!

Oct 23rd
Reply (1)

Samantha Williams-Clark

I CANNOT WAIT for the next episode!!!! #TheCold

Oct 16th
Reply (1)

Diane Thompson

Great podcast...she IS delightful! was wondering why you did not ask about the running joke in the episode about her "sneaking up" on CJ...

Oct 2nd
Reply

Ruth Gordon

West Wing ❤️❤️❤️

Sep 14th
Reply