meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Decoder with Nilay Patel

Recode Media: Robin Williams biographer Dave Itzkoff

Decoder with Nilay Patel

Vox Media Podcast Network

Business, Technology

4.23.4K Ratings

🗓️ 19 May 2018

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If you like Recode Decode, we think you'd also like Recode Media with Peter Kafka. Here's the latest episode of the show: New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff talks with Recode's Peter Kafka about his new book, "Robin: The Definitive Biography of Robin Williams." Itzkoff traces the history of the manic comedian and actor, whose stardom spanned more than four decades in roles in TV shows, such as "Mork and Mindy," and movies, like "Good Will Hunting." After Williams' death by suicide in 2014, Itzkoff says fans and the media were led astray by incorrect or incomplete explanations for what happened, and that Williams' reasons for taking his own life were more complicated than many assumed. Itzkoff also talks about whether another movie star like Williams could emerge in today's Hollywood, his interactions with the comedian as a journalist and how much time he spends crafting jokes for his popular Twitter account @ditzkoff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Today's show is brought to you by IBM.

0:03.3

Technology today has never been smarter,

0:05.6

but smart only matters when you put it to good use.

0:08.3

Together we can build a smarter future for all of us.

0:11.3

Let's put smart to work.

0:12.9

Find out how at IBM.com slash smart.

0:19.6

Hi, I'm Cara Swisher, Executive Editor of Recode,

0:22.1

and you're listening to Recode Decode

0:23.8

from the Vox Media Podcast Network.

0:26.0

Today we're going to play an interview

0:27.8

with Peter Kafka conducted on his podcast,

0:30.3

Recode Media, and I'm here in New York City right now

0:34.0

with the Peter Kafka, hey Peter.

0:35.7

Hey, the Cara Swisher.

0:36.7

I like this cross-level episode.

0:38.0

I'm the one and only Cara Swisher.

0:39.6

Let's try to keep all our designations correct.

0:42.7

So you just interviewed David,

0:44.0

it's Kafka about his new book, Explain Who Dave Is

0:47.6

and what his book is about.

0:48.9

Dave has this awesome beat at the New York Times.

0:51.3

He covers culture for them.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vox Media Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vox Media Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.