Brands of the Week: AI Voices, Wonka Chocolate, and Cracker Barrel's Big Comeback

Batya Ungar-Sargon — News Nation host of "Batya," Free Press writer, and author of The Jews and the Left — joins Donny for a wide-ranging conversation on why the Democratic Socialists of America keep losing working-class voters despite their "working class" branding, and why Israel has become a central distraction in progressive politics. Batya breaks down the real data on antisemitism (left vs. right) and how mainstream outlets manipulate the statistics, plus Trump's economic populism, immigration and wages, the Graham Platner controversy, and the historical break between Jews and the Democratic Party going back to the 1967 Six-Day War. Topics covered: the DSA and working-class politics, antisemitism on the left vs. the right, Israel and American Jewish identity, Trump's economic agenda, immigration policy, and the future of the Democratic Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donny Deutsch and his Executive Producer Lou Pellegrino run through this week's brand winners and losers — Hostess Twinkies' rough quarter, Reese's first new flavor in a decade, Kylie Jenner's Dunkin' collab, and a promising new use for GLP-1 drugs in treating eating disorders. Plus: a $8,000 Paris procedure to permanently change your eye color gets a hard pass, a new study pours cold water on fish oil's brain benefits, ESPN Jeopardy! is coming to Hulu with Joe Buck and John Hamm, and Michael J. Fox notches another Emmy nomination. They also dig into a startling stat on the number of young adults still living at home, debate whether Matt Damon's "The Odyssey" can justify a three-hour runtime, and celebrate Sylvester Stallone's 80th birthday and his one-of-a-kind decades-spanning box office run. All that, plus a heated take on a Stanley Cup name-plate snub and the priciest piece of Knicks memorabilia ever sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SE Cupp — CNN contributor and host of the "Off the Cup" podcast — joins Donny for a no-holds-barred conversation on the political moment we're in. They dig into a stunning new AP poll showing American Jews rate Zohran Mamdani far more favorably than Benjamin Netanyahu, and unpack whether that reflects anti-Zionism, progressive politics, or something closer to antisemitism in disguise. SE Cupp draws on her years covering the Syrian war to explain the double standard in who the world chooses to care about. From there, the conversation moves through the Democratic Party's growing rift with DSA-aligned candidates, the hypocrisy on both sides of the aisle (Ken Paxton, Graham Platner, Mitch McConnell), what a winning 2026 Democratic message actually looks like, and why "affordability" — not ideology — may decide the next election. They close with a wide-ranging look at 2028: Marco Rubio, Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, Rahm Emanuel's feistiness problem, whether Trump could anoint a successor, and SE Cupp's theory that Tucker Carlson is quietly building a third-party run. 🎙️ SE Cupp also talks about her July 13th live event, "Carnegie Connects," with Ron Brownstein and Aaron David Miller on Israel and American politics — and what her podcast "Off the Cup" is really about. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. Be sure to check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On Brand with Donny Deutsch YouTube page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 🎧 Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another edition of Brands of the Week! Donny runs through the brands rising, falling, and holding steady in the cultural conversation — starting with Netflix's controversial use of Gene Wilder's AI voice for a new Willy Wonka competition series, and Tom Hardy's much-debated return for Mobland Season 3. Plus: Sam's Club dethrones Costco's beloved rotisserie chicken, 7-Eleven turns the Slurpee into a "date destination" for its 60th birthday, and a new study links daily probiotics to improved mood. Donny also breaks down why brisk walking is lowering heart attack risk in women, why Ford brought back 350 veteran engineers after an AI experiment went sideways, and why in-office job seekers are getting hired faster. From an Aurora, Colorado mayor secretly sleeping in homeless shelters to understand his city better, to child-free millennials splurging on luxury dog travel, "bloom scrolling" as the antidote to doom scrolling, seniors embracing their inner Golden Girls, physical books outselling digital media, and Cracker Barrel's full-circle redemption arc — it's a packed week in brand news. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe, and tune in tomorrow for Donny's big interview with CNN's S.E. Cupp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Donny runs down the brands shaping the culture — a lifetime brand-up for Larry David and his new HBO series, plus a brand-up for Jay-Z's upcoming Rick Rubin-directed HBO documentary. Apple raises prices across its Mac and iPad lineup, Hasbro faces backlash over AI voice cloning for child actors on Peppa Pig, and philosophy majors suddenly have the edge over computer science grads in the age of AI. Plus: fireworks are traumatizing dogs and veterans, America's $1.7 trillion auto loan debt has the repo man riding high, gray divorce rates are climbing, Dolly Parton opens a luxury truck stop, and Mr. Pibb makes its big comeback. All that and more in this week's Brands of the Week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can the turbulent 1960s teach us about navigating today's divided world? In this powerful episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin joins us to discuss her latest book, An Unfinished Love Story, a deeply personal memoir that weaves together her own life with the defining moments of one of America's most transformative decades. Goodwin reflects on the leadership legacies of JFK and LBJ, the courage behind the Civil Rights Movement, and why collective action — not individual heroism — has always been the true engine of progress. She unpacks how social media is reshaping modern movements, what today's leaders can learn from the past, and why youth engagement may be our greatest hope for bridging societal divides. We also explore the rise of AI and its implications for how history is written and remembered — and why Goodwin believes human moral reasoning will always be irreplaceable. Whether you're a history buff, a political junkie, or simply someone looking for perspective and optimism in uncertain times, this conversation will leave you inspired. Be sure to check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On Brand with Donny Deutsch YouTube page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NYT Bestselling author and former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissman joins Donny to break down his explosive new book Liar's Kingdom: How to Stop Trump's Deceit and Save America — and the bold legal reforms he says could protect American democracy for generations. Andrew Weissman — former lead prosecutor on the Mueller Special Counsel investigation, ex-General Counsel of the FBI, and 15-year federal prosecutor — pulls no punches on the weaponization of the Justice Department, political lies, and what real structural reform looks like. In this episode: Why Weissman's original publisher dropped his book after Trump's executive order — and why that backfired His proposal to raise the grand jury indictment standard to stop retributive, politically motivated prosecutions The Truth in Elections Act — how countries like Germany, France, and Brazil criminalize deliberate election lies, and why the U.S. should too The First Amendment argument against regulating political speech — and why Weissman says it doesn't hold up What a German court's Holocaust denial ruling reveals about protecting democracy from dangerous lies Whether Trumpism survives Trump — and the structural reforms needed before the next authoritarian playbook is run Whether you're a political junkie, legal nerd, or just a concerned American, this conversation is essential listening. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode | ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 📖 Liar's Kingdom is available now wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Mamdani's NYC sweep, a $16.5 million Pikachu card, and your dirty hotel shower dispenser have in common? They're all brands on the move — and Donny Deutsch breaks down who's up and who's down this week. On this episode of On Brand with Donny Deutsch, Donny dives into the cultural and business stories shaping the zeitgeist: 🔺 Brand Up: KFC's bold "Kentucky Fried Comeback" rebrand as fried chicken sandwiches heat up the fast-food wars 🔺 Brand Up: The HPV vaccine's stunning real-world results — zero cervical cancer deaths in young women in a major UK study 🔺 Brand Up: Adult braces are trending — not for looks, but for heart health and longevity 🔺 Brand Up: Pokémon turns 30 as the most valuable media franchise in history, worth $150 billion 🔻 Brand Down: Loofahs — why dermatologists say your favorite shower accessory is a bacteria magnet 🔻 Brand Down: Hotel shower dispensers — the surprising study on just how contaminated they really are 🔻 Brand Down: New York Democratic politics, as far-left, anti-Israel candidates win big primary races 🔻 Brand Down: Ripping up your boarding pass — the privacy risk hiding in that little barcode Plus: Mike Myers confirms Austin Powers 4 is happening, adult sleepaway camps are booming, Heinz launches three new dipping sauces, streaming costs are quietly draining your bank account, and a tribute to legendary TV director James Burrows (Cheers, Friends, Will & Grace). It's pop culture, politics, health, and marketing — all through Donny's signature brand lens. 🎙️ Don't miss Thursday's big interview with former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review On Brand with Donny Deutsch on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Vice Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus and a member of the House Intelligence and Financial Services Committees, joins Donny for a candid conversation on antisemitism, Israel, and the Democratic Party's identity crisis. Gottheimer explains why he calls out double standards on the left toward figures like Hasan Piker while also condemning Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens on the right, breaks down the Iran nuclear deal and Hezbollah's threat to U.S. national security, and weighs in on a controversial Maine Senate primary. The pair also dig into AI policy and national security, the rise of democratic socialism among young voters, the 2026 midterms, early 2028 presidential contenders like Cory Booker and Josh Shapiro, and why bipartisanship has become politically toxic in Washington. A must-listen for anyone following Israel-Iran tensions, antisemitism in American politics, AI regulation, and the future of the Democratic Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New York Knicks are NBA Champions — and Donny Deutsch breaks down why Jalen Brunson is the ultimate brand-up story in sports, and why Victor Wembanyama's behavior may have cost him millions in endorsements. Plus, the week's biggest brand moments: Nike's viral Knicks championship ad, Ariana Grande vs. the White House over unauthorized music use, the FDA's first new sunscreen approval in 25 years, and why Patrick Mahomes' $500M NFL contract is historic. Also: cannabis doesn't help you sleep (science says it worsens insomnia), donuts are more dehydrating than coffee, protein prices are surging thanks to the GLP-1 boom, Steven Spielberg is back with a blockbuster, and "rustout" is the new burnout hitting remote workers. Rate, review & subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices