Jane Ferguson of PBS NewsHour joins David Holbrooke in conversation about the current situation in Yemen.

Recorded May 6, 2021

Zenia Tata, Chief Impact Office at XPRIZE, joins Gwen Thompkins in conversation about navigating change and piloting chaos as part of our OT20 Show, How To Be a Chaos Pilot.

Alexandra Rieger, an MIT neuroscientist, joins David Holbrooke in conversation about sound waves and healing as part of our OT20 Show, Our Inner Cinema.

Ben Proudfoot and concert pianist Kris Bowers in discussion with David Holbrooke about their short film, A Concerto is a Conversation.

Listen to conversation centering around the theme ‘the importance of knowing from where you came.’

Adam Horowitz studies dreams and is doing a lot of deep and fascinating work on them for the MIT Media Lab. He spoke at OT2020 about this research and how much our understanding of how we spend our nights is advancing. His research also inspired a short film by the eminent director Taika Waititi, an original thinker for sure, who made the brilliant Jojo Rabbit and the deviously clever Vampire mockumentary, What We Do in the Shadows. Watch Adam’s talk and then check out Taika's offbeat, engaging short, Lucid Odyssey that tries to capture someone’s dreamscape.

In the fall of 2001 American forces made their first incursions into Afghanistan. Today, almost twenty full years later, that war continues. That this paradigm exists at all is deeply disturbing to Jane Ferguson, a war correspondent who was stationed in Kabul in the early 2010’s. She recently went back to Afghanistan for PBS NewsHour to better understand the situation there now. Listen to her talk to OT Founder David Holbrooke.

Recorded February 4, 2021

Social Dilemma Director Jeff Orlowski joins David Holbrooke in conversation about cyber security and mental health as part of our OT20 Show, Our Inner Cinema.

Political Writer Ron Suskind returns to join David Holbrooke in conversation about Inauguration Day and the incoming Biden Administration.

Recorded January 19, 2021

Episode 11 of the Original Thinkers Presents series, featuring artist Obi Bob Hoehn, in discussion with David Holbrooke about his art installation, Prairie Wind Chapel.

Episode 10 of the Original Thinkers Presents series, featuring author Tamara Payne, in discussion with David Holbrooke about her book The Dead are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X.

Loneliness expert Jillian Richardson returns to OT Presents with some updates and thoughtful pointers for staying grounded through the holidays and beyond. Hosted by Laura Shaunette.

Ron Suskind is a great political writer and thinker (also a guest at OT2018) talks with David to offer his insight on processing the election.

Recorded November 17, 2020

David Holbrooke’s interview with Sasha Sullivan and Dierks Bentley, as part of our OT20 show Collective Culture.

Sasha Sullivan’s talk from our show Collective Culture, highlighting the importance of theatre and the arts during a pandemic, and the creative solutions her company, Telluride Theatre, came up with to meet communal needs.

Christiane Amanpour has been a journalistic force for CNN going back to the first war in Iraq. After that conflict, she was stationed in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War where her intrepid reporting helped propel policy in the right direction towards ending the war. She continued to work in the field, bringing her geopolitical expertise to CNN screens all over the world, winning every major journalism award as well as becoming an honorary citizen of Sarajevo. Now she anchors Amanpour & Co., a collaboration between CNN and PBS from London where she lives today.

James and Deborah Fallows are both longtime journalists with storied careers. Their book Our Towns: A Journey into the Heart of America looks at the many success stories being created in small towns across this country. In this episode, we discuss the impact of COVID-19, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement and its undeniable essentiality.

Peter Sims is the founder of a rad group called BLKSHP, which is an unusual assemblage of artists and creatives from all over the world. We met last summer and found so much common ground and purpose on a number of levels so it was great to talk through this new world we are living in with him. 

Jillian Richardson is the author of Unlonely Planet and the weekly newsletter, The Joy List, both in which she discusses loneliness, friendship and connection.

Brandon is an acclaimed Broadway Star (Hamilton, The Lion King, The Color Purple, Motown: The Musical) and advocate (weare.org) who joined us on stage at OT 2019. His insights into what is currently happening in America are both challenging and incisive.

Jane Ferguson is a war correspondent for PBS NewsHour who memorably spoke at OT 2018 about her work in conflict zones. In April 2020, she joined OT Presents for a conversation about the COVID situation from her home in Beirut, and what that means for places where war is all too endless.