People I (Mostly) Admire

Steven D. Levitt

Booking Overview

Steve Levitt profiles notable high-achievers in surprising, personal ways—how they think, what drives their obsessions, and what challenges shaped them. For PR, it’s a strong fit for guests who can tie ambition to ideas and real-world impact across fields like education, science, and policy.

Metrics

Episodes: 230

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10k-100k

Gender skew: Male

Location: USA

YouTube: 100.0k subscribers

30s Ad: 1121 - 1413, 60s Ad: 1365 - 1657

Contact Information

editor@freakonomics.com

Host

Steven D. Levitt - An economist best known for co-authoring Freakonomics. He hosts and conducts in-depth conversations with accomplished people, often focusing on the unusual motivations and real-world implications b...

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

high

Typical Credentials:

Recognized subject-matter experts or high-profile builders (academics with PhDs, policy researchers, founders/CEOs/creative leaders) who have a demonstrable body of work and a compelling personal drive or origin story tied to their field.

Required Achievements:

Founded or scaled major organizations/platforms, Won major awards (e.g., Academy Awards) or led award-winning creative work, Produced influential academic research and published work, Held prominent leadership roles in science, education, law, or tech

Recent Guest Discussions

Sal Khan - Education Innovation And Scaling Learning; Future Of In-school Learning; Khan Academy’s Growth And Next Steps

Pete Docter - Animation Filmmaking And Creative Process; Big-budget Animation Economics; Career Influences

John Donohue - Social Science Evidence And Debate; Crime, Guns, And The Death Penalty; Challenges Proving Causal Truth

Recent Topics

Economics, Public Policy, Education, Science, Technology, Innovation, Research, Law, Entrepreneurship, Psychology

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

People I (Mostly) Admire

23. Greg Norman & Mark Broadie: Why Golf Beats an Orgasm and Why Data Beats Everything

May 23, 2026

Steve Levitt is obsessed with golf — and he’s pretty good at it too. As a thinly-veiled ploy to improve his own game, Steve talks to two titans of the sport: Greg “The Shark” Norman, who was the world’s top-ranked golfer for more than six years; and Mark Broadie, a Columbia professor whose data analysis changed how pros play the game. This episode originally aired on March 9th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of ...

22. Sal Khan: “If It Works for 15 Cousins, It Could Work for a Billion People.”

May 16, 2026

Khan Academy grew out of Sal Khan’s online math tutorials for his extended family. It’s now a platform used by more than 115 million people in 190 countries. So what does Khan want to do next? How about reinventing in-school learning, too? Find out why Steve nearly moved to Silicon Valley to be part of Khan's latest venture. This episode originally aired on April 2nd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

21. Pete Docter: “What If Monsters Really Do Exist?”

May 09, 2026

He’s the chief creative officer of Pixar, and the Academy Award-winning director of Soul, Inside Out, Up, and Monsters, Inc. Pete Docter and Steve talk about Pixar’s scrappy beginnings, why it costs $200 million to make an animated film, and the movie moment that changed Steve’s life. This episode originally aired on March 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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