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I couldn't be more excited to be launching the new three-part docu webseries called THE ISN'T FACTOR. And today's episode of the podcast is the audio from episode one: "Know Your Audience." I'd love for you to watch the series and share it with people who will like it. It's available now at theisntfactor.com. Next week's episode will be the audio from episode two, then three, and finally I'll record an exclusive interview with Cornell about the series.Note: I also talk about my current struggles with the flu at the beginning of today's episode.

I'm mixing things up for this week's episode. It's a teaser for an upcoming series I'll be releasing on the web very soon. For more information stay tuned and check out joebolter.com. Or, better yet, sign up for my newsletter here. 

This episode explores some of the difficulties surrounding the phrase "I love you" and when/why I do and don't say it.  Music By:Peter SpaceyRoy Young

This is a story about how and when things went wrong for us.Music by Yehezkel Raz

This isn't really a preview as much as an observation that my initial attempts at making music for season two ended with me recreating the Friday Night Lights soundtrack. So I take you through a beat-by-beat breakdown of me as Coach Taylor. Hope you enjoy. 

In this bittersweet season finale of Joe Bolter Reads The News, I try to boil down everything I learned in my 44 days of sharing the NY Times Morning Briefing. Hopefully we all learned a little something about reading the news.  If not, that’s OK because I get to do a beat-by-beat breakdown of TWO songs in this episode, Mahalia - Simmer feat. Burna Boy & ROSALÍA, J Balvin - Con Altura On the even sweeter side, I share the below pic of Blackberry Corn Cobbler here.  That and, of course, the news!  See you next week for the launch of season two - Joe Bolter: It’s Gonna Be OK.  Chris Stanford you will be missed! SHOW NOTESMorning Briefing

For our second to last episode of Season One of Joe Bolter Reads The News, I take you back to the one episode that stuck with me and that I’ve brought up several times: Episode 4 - “Amber is the Color of Your Energy.” It was the early days and I’m not sure it holds up — the news has pretty much expired — but I think it might have been the peak of what I’m trying to do here. More on that tomorrow as I wrap up the season and reflect on what I’ve learned.  SHOW NOTESOriginal Episode 4 Post

As we reach the home stretch for the end of season 1, today’s show is less about the news and more about my desire to take you through Miley Cyrus’s new song Mother’s Daughter. Spoiler & verdict: I love it more than the Sheeran song from yesterday! That and, of course, the news … and also the Times’s obsession with Emily Post’s heirs’ work on cannabis etiquette.  SHOW NOTESToday’s Briefing

There’s a chance you’ll listen to today’s show to figure out why Joe finds many stories so gross that they leave him miffed. Or, better yet, you’re going to listen in order to hear Joe’s lyric-by-lyric breakdown of Ed Sheeran’s new song Best Part of Me.  Either way, you’ll get the news and, quite possibly, some entertainment.  SHOW NOTESMorning Briefing

Morning Briefing News Heads will recall that our beloved Chris Stanford is on vacation this week. So today we put the new guy, Mike Ives, to the test. Sure, like all new guys at the office, we razz him a bit, but at the end of the day we salute Mike for being there for us and doing the lord's work. That, and of course, the news, including a tribute to João Gilberto. SHOW NOTESMorning BriefingShow Post

I continue with John Philip Sousa’s "The Stars and Stripes Forever” on this barely-an-episode of Joe Bolter Reads The News (in which there’s absolutely no news). We do still talk about the amazing Chris Stanford however. Until we’re fully back to wrap up the season next week, enjoy some more of the "the Disaster March."

There’s no morning briefing today, but instead of crying about it we’re celebrating! Why? Because it’s July 4th and we're groovin’ to John Philip Sousa’s "The Stars and Stripes Forever.” A march described by one YouTuber as "one riveting piece of music!”  Have a wonderful July 4th holiday! (For those outside the US, have a wonderful Thursday!)

You know how sometimes you have a great idea in your head about how you’re going to crush an epic DYI project? I mean, in your head it’s absolutely perfect and you can picture how awesome it’s going to turn out and fulfill all of your needs? Well, it looks like that’s what happened when these two (photo here) tried to make their own Darth Vader costumes...but it’s not! They’re viewing a total solar eclipse in Paiguano, Chile. You’ll learn all about that and so much more on today’s episode of Joe Bolter Reads The News.  SHOW NOTES Today’s Briefing 

This is a total remix of an episode that doesn’t cover much news. In fact I mostly talk about Bloomingdales' "big brown bag” (as seen here) just because it’s fun to say “big brown bag. Why the change of pace/heart? Because we're nearing the end of Season 1 of Joe Bolter Reads The News and Season 2 is gonna be different!  Stay tuned …  SHOW NOTES Morning Briefing

I think many of would agree that if we heard that someone wanted to "listen to their favorite opera music on a business trip” we’d—at best—roll our eyes, or—at worst—want to smack them in the face and make fun of their monocle and cravat. BUT it turns out this pretentious desire paved way for the walkman … which lead to the iPod, then to the iPhone, and—full circle—gave us the ability to listen to today’s episode of Joe Bolter Reads The News on our phone! (Also, turns out that this man, Masaru Ibuka is a totally reasonable looking gentleman as seen here and we should all be ashamed for feeling this way about a guy who just wanted to rock out on an airplane to his favorite aria[na Grande of his day].) Yeah, sure, that was quite a stretch, but here we are and we’re covering all of today’s news. No, I won’t be playing any opera, but I will be giving a peak at Brittany Howard from the Alabama Shakes's new song.  That and a first ever book recommendation on Joe Bolter Reads the News.  SHOW NOTES Today’s Briefing

We’re going to the moon! This time it’s Saturn’s moon (photo here) and we leave in 7 years, then arrive 8 years later. But I don’t care how long it takes because I love space exploration. And that’s not the only *hot take* you’re going to get today on Joe Bolter Reads The News ... we *hot take* our way through all the major topics in an attempt to keep each other on track towards our ultimate goal: having a pleasant way to get the news. And, please, if you can, have the best weekend of your life this weekend! SHOW NOTES Morning BriefingNews Quiz

In what is quickly becoming a fashion podcast, I discuss a targeted ad for my "dream pant.” (See photo here. Does that look like anyone’s dream pant? Is that even a photo of a pant? I just like saying PANT.)That and I speculate on Chris Stanford’s possible tummy issues that caused this morning’s briefing to come out so late. Finally a trip down memory lane for those of us who remember watching the 80s sitcom Mr. Belvedere. Oh, and of course the news! SHOW NOTES Today’s Briefing 

I don’t have a ton of *hot takes* on today’s show. In fact I have none. However, I do take you through my beat-by-beat breakdown of the beginning of Drake’s new song: Money in the Grave.  I also talk a lot about my current targeted ad craze: socks.  There aren’t any pictures from the briefing worth sharing, so here’s what you get if you Google "Drake Socks” (I realize that sounds like a pun for "Drake sucks,” but we all know Drake does not *sock*, he *rocks*): here.   All of that and of course the news. SHOW NOTESToday’s Briefing

On today’s show I tell the story of our newest listener named Jared. Jared is a hypothetical man you work with and don’t really know too well, but you turn him onto this podcast when you share some of your news knowledge with him at the water cooler / coffee station(?!). Long story short: he’s now a Joe-Bolter-Reads-the-News-Head.  I also question the Times’ decision to post this photo of green goddess dressing. Why do we want to see a photo of dressing? Why did you need a food stylist AND a prop stylist for this photo? That and of course the actual news (in all of its inescapable terror). SHOW NOTES:Today’s Briefing

With a potential war with Iran to deal with, why am I talking about an advertisement for socks? Well, that’s the way we deliver the news here at Joe Bolter Reads The News. And it may not seem like there’s a lot to laugh about today, but then I remind you about how funny turkeys are.  Though today's biggest surprise goes to the man the NY Times claims is dressed as the devil — though I disagree and think he’s dressed like he's wearing a yellow track suit and Nikes (photo here so you be the judge) — jumping over babies in Spain. And yes, they are REAL babies! A special shoutout to the person who provided the mattress with the fitted sheet and body pillow … ensuring a simple, chic obstacle for the devil man. (Food for thought: maybe that person should dress the devil next year??)  That and of course the news.  SHOW NOTESToday’s Briefing