The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

by Defector Media
1,431

Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voice mails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

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Recent Episodes
  • What Goes On in the Mind of a Football Man with Mike Tanier
    Apr 24, 2025 – 01:04:27
  • The Incredibly Late Spring Break Podcast
    Apr 17, 2025 – 00:50:52
  • Why Am I Talking to the New Jags GM Right Now? with Tim Marchman
    Apr 10, 2025 – 01:05:58
  • I’m Not Going to Mention Where He Went to College with Maitreyi Anantharaman
    Apr 3, 2025 – 01:04:29
  • Luxury Ice Fishing Apparatus with Bob Mould
    Mar 27, 2025 – 00:54:31
  • The 2025 Idiot’s Guide to March Madness with Ken Pomeroy
    Mar 20, 2025 – 00:59:31
  • I Can’t Trust Hot White Dips with Jasper Wang
    Mar 13, 2025 – 01:00:04
  • The First Half Is About the State of the World with Denny Carter
    Mar 6, 2025 – 01:00:05
  • Your Kids Are Mid with Nathan Grayson
    Feb 27, 2025 – 01:02:34
  • The Paddington 2 of the NBA with Rohan Nadkarni
    Feb 20, 2025 – 01:01:25
  • Disrespecting John Madden’s Name
    Feb 13, 2025 – 01:00:17
  • Both the Eagles and the Chiefs Are Gonna Win with Dan McQuade
    Feb 6, 2025 – 01:10:46
  • Apollo 13 Was a Well Made Movie with Will Tavlin
    Jan 30, 2025 – 01:10:06
  • This Episode Cancels Out the Manhattan Project with Justin Halpern
    Jan 23, 2025 – 01:04:10
  • Dresses Like Kevin Federline with Ed Zitron
    Jan 16, 2025 – 01:09:44
  • He Lost the Slack and the Clubhouse with Diana Moskovitz
    Jan 9, 2025 – 01:04:12
  • The 2024 Williams-Sonoma Catalog Price Is Right
    Dec 26, 2024 – 00:58:06
  • Oprah Doesn’t Own Discovery with Susie Banikarim
    Dec 19, 2024 – 01:03:52
  • A Century of Podcast Episodes! with Eric Silver
    Dec 12, 2024 – 01:01:21
  • An All Pizzas Thanksgiving with Rivers McCown
    Dec 5, 2024 – 01:00:10
  • The Dog’s Name Is Babydog?
    Nov 28, 2024 – 00:54:41
  • Part of Our World… of Billionaires with Sabrina Imbler
    Nov 21, 2024 – 01:01:50
  • Cocaine in an MRI Machine with Arif Hasan
    Nov 14, 2024 – 01:03:27
  • Violator Was an Investment Banker in LA with Ray Ratto
    Nov 7, 2024 – 00:56:19
  • The First Half Is About the Election with Denny Carter
    Oct 31, 2024 – 01:01:00
  • Increase Revenue Across Three Fiscal Hog Moons
    Oct 24, 2024 – 00:59:06
  • Skin Like Cinnabon Icing with Rohan Nadkarni
    Oct 17, 2024 – 00:56:16
  • Playing Nice with Jason Schreier and Luis Paez-Pumar
    Oct 3, 2024 – 01:00:43
  • Stations of the Plaxico Burress Cross
    Sep 26, 2024 – 01:03:02
  • Look at Mr. Restaurant with Maitreyi Anantharaman
    Sep 19, 2024 – 00:59:45
  • Investors Demand 13 Players on the Field with Israel Daramola
    Sep 12, 2024 – 00:52:11
  • The Fastest NFL Good/Bad Ever with Kalyn Kahler
    Sep 5, 2024 – 01:12:03
  • An Unironic Donald Pump T-Shirt
    Aug 29, 2024 – 01:03:24
  • Sleep Number 69 with Rohan Nadkarni
    Aug 22, 2024 – 01:00:43
  • Government Controlled Podcast Microphones with Rachelle Hampton
    Aug 15, 2024 – 00:56:07
  • Viscosity in the Early 80s with Chris Nashawaty
    Aug 8, 2024 – 00:53:55
  • Podcast Rant Protocol with Patrick Redford
    Aug 1, 2024 – 00:58:08
  • Boogaloo Zones with Pablo Torre
    Jul 25, 2024 – 00:57:33
  • Chief End Times Correspondent
    Jul 18, 2024 – 01:00:41
  • A Pog on Society with Rohan Nadkarni
    Jul 11, 2024 – 00:48:31
  • What Was 1982 Like? with Ray Ratto
    Jun 27, 2024 – 00:46:56
  • Mr. Met Has Fallen Down the Stairs at the Met Gala
    Jun 20, 2024 – 01:01:23
  • 100 Foods to Throw in the Garbage with Megan Greenwell
    Jun 13, 2024 – 01:04:25
  • It Doesn’t Matter If We’re Off Topic with Ray Ratto
    Jun 6, 2024 – 01:02:39
  • It’s the Distraction, I’m Sheila, That’s Roth.
    May 30, 2024 – 00:53:16
  • Elite Old Guy Excellence with Stephen Rodrick
    May 23, 2024 – 00:57:16
  • Jake from State Farm Invented Women’s Basketball with Maitreyi Anantharaman
    May 16, 2024 – 00:56:17
  • The Mashup Returns
    May 9, 2024 – 00:47:28
  • Once, Twice, Three Times a Rohan Nadkarni
    May 2, 2024 – 01:11:49
  • The Pajama Lesson with Alec Lewis
    Apr 25, 2024 – 01:01:40
Recent Reviews
  • Nick the ....
    no one better
    Love the show, smart, funny, great guests, I should probably start paying for this.
  • CM21218
    Hmm
    I could frankly do without the theme song and Drew’s traditional show-opening catchphrase. Aside from those niggling complaints, it’s a delight.
  • Sleu dobbs
    One of my favorites
    Has long been a favorite of mine. Bring back the mash up, bring back the guys. Big fans of both Drew and Roth. Drew seems to take some flack but he keeps this thing going and at least has some opinions/things to say. Roth doesn’t need to agree with every guest’s every opinion.
  • Crammy Grammy
    Calm down, Drew.
    Roth is funny. Drew isn’t.
  • Pro Sandwich Taek
    Sky Magary
    Thank you for sharing, Drew! That was a truly beautiful episode and I appreciate your level of honesty and vulnerability.
  • stinky lefty
    I want woke sports
    I NEED WOKE SPORTS
  • The Mo Salah Cantina
    Paneeeeeera
    Love this pod. Roth’s voices and baroque turns of phrase and Drew’s fake commercials and bro-ish enthusiasm make for an ideal combo.
  • jdjdms
    Megan Greenwell!
    Now this is more like it
  • WearAMaskDrew
    Drew no mashups please
    We are begging you. No mash ups. Please.
  • Dougefresh55
    The best
    The episode with Jason Kirk is fantastic, perhaps the only thing that could have been better would be to add more sandwich talk.
  • Tmh129
    Here for the health updates
    Sometimes almost too much sports talk.
  • SeanC420 69
    Great Pod, but
    I could have gone without the Covid discussion at the beginning of this most recent episode. We need to move on with our lives:
  • snazzyshoes19
    Fantastic pod! Except for the producer
    Would give this pod 10 stars. So fun, entertaining, and knowledgeable. Drew and Roth’s chemistry is off the charts. Only to be ruined by Producer Guy’s constant interrupting. Thank god for the skip button. So, only 5 stars. Added bonus, there’s sandwich talk!
  • Dusty Baker Street Irregulars
    They’re Back, They’re Back
    A funny, absurdist take on sports, sandwiches, and other nonsense. Well worth the limited mental space it occupies. The less Producer Eric I hear the better.
  • LSUChiCub
    Love Defector and love The Distraction
    Keep up the great work Drew and Roth! I swear I’ll pay for a Defector subscription one day!
  • GlansyD
    3x the daily recommended value of Mets content
    we’re all waiting with bated breath for the next installment of Let’s Remember Some Sandwiches with Roth
  • Erict245787532
    WE’RE BACK
    The podcast is great. I’ll change this to 5 stars if drew stops screaming WERE BACK WERE BACK at the start.
  • rednekk
    the best
    great stuff
  • Andrex0r
    Dudes
    A fun podcast. Just guys being dudes.
  • NESwain
    Yay
    I always enjoy when Lauren T is on the pod 👍🏻
  • The Real Chris B
    Favorite Podcast Hands Down
    Love these guys, and honestly love most of the guests they have on too.
  • Podtrick69420
    Perfection
    The only thing the pod needs is more Roth impressions of anyone and everyone.
  • seamus howls
    Oh, These Magnificent Dopes
    Roth and Drew consistently hit the sweet spot of hilarious/grumpy/insightful. The only podcast I listen to every episode without being several weeks behind.
  • Fake Mark
    Kaz Matsui’s Favorite Podcast!
    Look if Roth doesn’t have this outlet though which he can Remember Some Mets he’s just gonna accost random strangers in the street about Timo Perez. That’s not what you want.
  • Rox_Shox
    A+ Podcast
    One of the few podcasts I listen to religiously
  • Olaf Jorgenson
    Great pod
    Must listen
  • TehRuben
    Bareback Sports Book Changed My Life
    After placing bets on Bareback Sports Book as advertised on the podcast, I became a degenrate sports gambling winner. I was finally able to win my wife back after I showed up to her boyfriend's house on a snow machine wearing the pelt of a grizzly bear and with a full tub of Drew's Chili in the back. This podcast will change your life.
  • Eghufffghj
    Love these guys.
    Can’t get enough.
  • JoeMac7345
    Just doesn’t work
    These guys still think being loud and obnoxious is enough to be entertaining. Same as in their Deadspin days.
  • Mighty_Thor
    Herb-free, Sandwich heavy
    Sandwich talk? Trenchant Funbag insight? The occasional Roth DelCo and/or Macho Man accent? The Original Guy Remembering? It’s all gold, baby. If your chud brain is so poisoned by ‘stool miasma that you go out of your way to dislike this, you have my pity.
  • maczhier
    Great Distraction!
    Always a great listen for when I’m driving or just need some light-hearted fare
  • schmoolevin19
    The good stuff
    I have made a dozen, if not dozens, of dollars betting w bareback sports
  • JNRCX37
    Five Stars Baby
    Because I was instructed to do so last episode!
  • NC_N8
    Review culture is toxic
    If you don’t like something, just don’t listen to it. You don’t need to be a jerk about it. For me, The Distraction gets five stars. I enjoy it. That said, get some cheap headsets to send to your guests so they don’t sound like they’re in the bottom of a well!
  • TheLegendOfBagO'Donuts
    Easy listenin’
    A shaggy, hangout kinda show about sports and other bulls***.
  • Brusdar Graterol
    Excellent Sandwich and non Sandwich talk
    My favorite podcast about Maine, sandwiches, and sports!
  • HippRebel
    My favorite podcast of the week
    I have no idea why but it’s the perfect thing to listen to while I walk the dogs. My dogs and I would be in better shape if they did more episodes.
  • Firtl
    Some guys
    Each week’s episode of the Distraction is a highlight of my week. I appreciate the mix of sports and non-sports chat, and honestly that’s kind of the appeal here. Pure sports talk is boring and it should always be considered in the context of what else is going on. More importantly, I PERSONALLY wish there was more sandwich talk, but maybe Roth can do a spin-off podcast of his own for that. I’d listen to him describing hoagies at least 30 minutes per week. Talking about how finely shredded the lettuce is, or condiment ratios? A dream. Keep it up guys.
  • Tomato Time
    Sandwich News and Maine Talk
    This is my most important source of news for sandwiches and a critical font of Maine-related information. Sometimes they work in a little sports talk, too. But seriously, these wonderful oaves have been making my life better for the better part of a decade. They make me miss my neurotic East Coast friends. Here’s to two of America’s finest Guys.
  • Ben Wahhh
    Sandwiches and Popethrowers!
    Loved this show from way back at the other site even. Puh-leeeze stick to whatever this is, sports and not sports. Worth a listen, not like anything else.
  • jumbo jimbo 112
    Great podcast
    Screw that one 4 star review. Great podcast, love sandwich talk
  • G lockwoo
    Must listen
    Love the show. Bring back the mashup!
  • Grungeinator
    leaving a review for Drew’s weed money
    defector forever
  • mowat42
    remembered a podcast
    I don’t watch sports but this is one of the few podcasts I listen to every week on the day it comes out. Been with it ever since the Deadcast days, glad it survived the jump to Defector. Also happy they’ve done away with most the bits (sorry Drew).
  • stewart3red
    Great all-around sports pod!
    Drew and Roth bring you high level sports conversations and interesting guests
  • sok 2
    Great podcast
    Jeffrey Wayne Karstens (born September 24, 1982) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball(MLB). Karstens pitched for the New York Yankees in 2006 and 2007 and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2008 to 2012.
  • not dead guy
    Thursday Morning Treat
    This is my Thursday morning treat. Even if Drew doesn’t see it in Justin Fields. Roth is the goat. Wait, I also live in New York! I KNOW the restaurants he’s talking about!
  • FreqTravel8Crzy
    Entertaining Podcast
    Entertaining podcast. And I’m someone who doesn’t follow sports as much as most of my friends and peers. I’ve subscribed to Defector and have come to really enjoy the insights offered up on this show. I even enjoy the food and sandwiches talk.
  • AMac326
    We’re back!
    Wonderful sandwich-related podcast.
  • Needs Points
    Smart and Funny
    Just like Defector.com, The Distraction is great.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.