Standing Room Only

About Standing Room Only

Salon.com's Amanda Marcotte brings her sharp perspective on politics and culture by calling out political BS and cultural hypocrisy. From the MAGA movement's latest power grabs to the online trends that shape our political reality, Amanda examines these moments with a critical eye and just enough dark humor to keep you from completely losing hope. Each episode includes Amanda's unique take, a guest segment in the corner booth with political experts and journalists, and an on-topic music recommendation from Amanda, whose weekend gig is DJing. If you've ever found yourself yelling at the TV during political analysis or rolling your eyes at "both sides" journalism, "Standing Room Only" is for you! New podcast episodes drop on Fridays. Join us on YouTube @SalonTV to get "Standing Room Only" live on Thursdays at 5 p.m. Eastern. http://www.youtube.com/SalonTV Subscribe for a dose of clear-eyed commentary that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Publisher

Salon.com

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

25 Jun 2025

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

3 of 45 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   He's Hot, They're Not: Why Sen. Jon Ossoff is enraging MAGA

   Monica Venzke, creator of Boyfriends We Deserve, interviews about how Senator Jon Ossoff's charisma and "hotness" resonate online, reshaping Democratic image for political impact.

2. 

   25 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   James Talarico is a long-term threat to the GOP

   James Talarico, the Texas Democratic nominee for Senate, could do lasting damage to the Republican Party and they're freaking out! In this episode, I break down why Talarico's campaign has been enormously successful at attracting Christian voters. He is terrifying white evangelicals because they have been told, repeatedly, that Democrats are demonic and there is no such thing as a liberal Christian. My guest is Amanda Litman, the co-founder of the organization Run For Something that helped Talarico get his start in politics. If you enjoy Standing Room Only please subscribe, rate and leave review. It helps grow our audience!

3. 

   20 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Pete Hegseth can't escape the myth of himself

   Pete Hegseth is getting raked over the coals for leading the Trump administration's messy conflict in Iran. How long can the former Fox News personality keep the pumped-up, testosterone-soaked tough-guy routine going? In this episode, I look at the Defense Secretary's public image, his leadership at the Pentagon, and the heightened criticism surrounding his handling of the Iran conflict. My guest is Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton, who provides insight on why Hegseth's wife Jennifer Hegseth has become a curious and increasingly influential figure in it all.

Who has been a guest on Standing Room Only

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Monica Venzke
• Elizabeth Spiers
• Kate Bernyk
• Imara Jones
• Lindsay Beyerstein

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

61

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

22 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

77

Social presence

0

YouTube

63

Engagement

51

Contact Standing Room Only

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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  How Is This Better?

Questions about Standing Room Only