Rushmore Podcast
Legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. rushmorepodcast.substack.com
Shaq & Kevin Durant: The War Over The Ultimate Starting 5
What happens when two of the most dominant scorers in basketball history sit down to build their ultimate starting lineups?
Total chaos.
On Season 2, Episode 3 of The Rushmore Podcast, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Durant join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to draft, trade, and defend their definitive all-time starting fives.
From immediate blockbuster trades to heated arguments over whether Steph Curry is a true point guard, this conversation cuts through modern analytics to reveal how all-time greats actually evaluate the game.
Inside the episode:
* Modern Spacing Debate: Would Sh...
Jerry Seinfeld & Larry David On The 4 Episodes That Defined Television
When NBC tested the original pilot for The Seinfeld Chronicles, network executives circulated an internal research memo stating that “no segment of the audience was eager to watch the show again.”
Nine seasons and 180 episodes later, it became the most influential sitcom in television history.
In Season 2, Episode 2 of The Rushmore Podcast, Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky sit down live with co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to settle the four most iconic, structurally perfect episodes in the history of the show.
A quick word from our partners:
* Lovable: If you can...
Roger Goodell & Pat McAfee Debate The Greatest NFL Comeback Ever
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Pat McAfee sit down with Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to build the definitive Mount Rushmore of Greatest NFL Comebacks.
There are only four spots on the mountain. From Tom Brady erasing a 28-3 deficit in Super Bowl LI to Frank Reich’s 32-point comeback against the Houston Oilers, the Minnesota Miracle, and Damar Hamlin’s miraculous return to football, the panel debates which four moments stand above the rest.
Along the way, Roger Goodell reveals what it was like facing a hostile Indianapolis Colts locker room before the 2011 lockout, his...
The Rushmore Podcast Season 2 Official Trailer: The Mountain Returns
Over the past year, the most influential figures in sports, comedy, music, fashion, and business sat down to answer one impossible question: Who belongs on the ultimate Mount Rushmore of culture—and who gets left off?
From Tom Brady to Shaq, Kevin Durant, Dana White, Jerry Seinfeld, and Anna Wintour drawing lines in the sand, Season 1 set the foundation. Season 2 raises the stakes significantly.
New full-length episodes premiere every Tuesday starting October 20th.
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Maria Sharapova & John McEnroe Build the Rushmore of Female Tennis Players
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Tennis icons Maria Sharapova and John McEnroe come together to build the Mount Rushmore of female tennis players. Serena Williams delivers an unmatched serve and competitive fire. Steffi Graf achieves a golden slam and athletic perfection. Martina Navratilova claims 18 singles majors while Billie Jean King reshapes sports culture. Maria shares her personal memories of getting dominated by Monica Seles at 16. John argues for the pioneers who shaped the sport. The hosts, Ari and Ben, add their own...
Lou Adler Builds the Mount Rushmore of 1970s Bands and Artists
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Music pioneer Lou Adler, film and record producer and co-owner of the Roxy Theatre, joins the Rushmore podcast to tackle an impossible task: building the Mount Rushmore of the greatest bands and artists from the 1970s. With hosts Ben and Ari, Lou makes his case for Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Carole King, and David Bowie. The debate that follows is chaotic, passionate, and hilarious—featuring Wings, Queen, ABBA, Bruce Springsteen, Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols, and the Ra...
Ken Burns & Walter Isaacson Build The Mount Rushmore of US Non-Presidents
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Two of America's greatest historians, Ken Burns and Walter Isaacson, sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of U.S. non‑presidents from 1900 - present. The result is a breathtaking conversation about the inventors, artists, activists, and innovators who truly shaped modern America. Walter champions the giants of science and technology: Louis Armstrong, Philo Farnsworth, John Mauchly, and Steve Jobs. Ken counters with moral and cultural titans: Louis Armstrong, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., and Henrietta La...
Shaquille O'Neal & Reggie Miller Debate The Mount Rushmore of NBA Point Guards
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Reggie Miller and Shaquille O'Neal, two Hall of Fame legends with four championship rings between them, sit down to settle the ultimate playground debate: who are the four greatest point guards of all time? Stephen Curry, Isiah Thomas, Allen Iverson, Kyrie Irving, John Stockton, Tony Parker, Jason "White Chocolate" Williams, and even Bob Cousy all enter the conversation. The arguments get heated, the criteria get tossed around, and Shaq even threatens to eat a Tide Pod. From...
Dana White & Max Kellerman Build the Rushmore of Middleweight Boxers
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Two of the most passionate minds in combat sports, UFC president and CEO, Dana White, and boxing analyst, Max Kellerman, sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of middleweight boxing. From the mythical Harry Greb who fought 250 times before age 32, much of it with one eye to the sublime Sugar Ray Robinson, from the warrior Marvin Hagler to the unbeaten champion Carlos Monzon, this debate covers a century of fighting greatness. Dana champions the modern legends he...
Anna Wintour & Andrew Bolton Build the Mount Rushmore of Fashion Designers
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic.Two of the most influential figures in fashion, Anna Wintour and Andrew Bolton, sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of the greatest fashion designers. The result is a masterclass in style, history, and artistic vision. Andrew champions the pioneers who changed construction and silhouette. Anna counters with the rule‑breakers who redefined what a designer could be. Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky add their own picks, and the debate turns to legacy, influence, and cultural impact. Wh...
Matthew Stafford & Troy Aikman Build the Rushmore of Most Feared NFL Players
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks. One terrifying debate. Matthew Stafford and Troy Aikman sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of most feared players, and the hits keep coming.Lawrence Taylor changed the game. Reggie White forklifted offensive linemen. Ray Lewis flew across the field. Ronnie Lott amputated his own finger rather than miss a game. The stories are legendary, the respect is mutual, and the fear is real. Hear Matthew on practicing against Aaron Donald, Troy...
Edward Enninful & Inez van Lamsweerde Build the Rushmore of Modeling
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Two legends of fashion. One iconic debate. Edward Enninful and Inez van Lamsweerde sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of models, and the conversation is as captivating as the images they've created.From Linda Evangelista's transformative preparation to Naomi Campbell's legendary walk, from Kate Moss redefining beauty standards to Gisele Bündchen's one-woman supermodel army—the picks are passionate, the stories are revelatory, and the criteria run deep. Hear why Penelope Tree's face still haunts Inez, why...
Wolfgang Puck & José Andrés Build the Rushmore of American Restaurants
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Two legendary chefs. One impossible task. Wolfgang Puck and José Andrés sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of American restaurants, and the debate gets heated immediately.Chez Panisse, Le Bernardin, Charlie Trotter's, K-Paul's, The Four Seasons, The Inn at Little Washington are among the names are debated, the stories are revelatory, and the arguments run deep. Hear José's emotional tribute to Jean-Louis Palladin, Wolfgang's memories of the original Four Seasons, and the moment Ben nom...
Doris Kearns Goodwin & Jon Meacham Build the Rushmore of US Non-Presidents
Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin & Jon Meacham join the Rushmore table to tackle an impossible question. Which Americans who never held the presidency deserve to be on Mount Rushmore?The conversation spans centuries: Benjamin Franklin's endless curiosity, Frederick Douglass navigating the contradictions of America, Elizabeth Cady Stanton's declaration of sentiments, and Thomas Paine's words that armed a revolution. Then, a heated debate arises over the fourth spot, with names like Walt Whitman, Alexander Hamilton, John Marshall...
Bob Costas & Al Michaels Reveal Their Mount Rushmore of Pitchers
Welcome to Rushmore On X, a show where the GOATs of their industries give their Mount Rushmores (Top 4) of hotly debated topics. Two baseball legends. One impossible task. Bob Costas and Al Michaels sit down to build the Mount Rushmore of pitchers, and the debate gets heated immediately. Walter Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Mariano Rivera, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Satchel Paige are among the names of who are truly the greatest pitchers of all time. The stats are mind-blowing. The stories are unforgettable. And that Mariano Rivera moon stat? Wait until you hear it.Incredible moments...
Rick Rubin & Jimmy Iovine Pick Their Rushmore of '90s Artists
Welcome to Rushmore On X, a show where the GOATs of their industries give their Mount Rushmores (Top 4) of hotly debated topics.’90s heavyweights take their seats. Rick Rubin and Jimmy Iovine—two insiders who didn’t just witness the decade but helped define it—come together with one mission: carve the Mount Rushmore of ’90s music.The framework is locked. Names fly. The debate hits a boiling point. From Nirvana detonating the sound and style of a generation, to Lauryn Hill delivering a voice and vision that redefined hip-hop and soul, to Dr. Dre architecting the future of rap, and O...
Luke Bryan & Jason Aldean Rank Their Rushmore of Country Singers
Welcome to Rushmore On X, a show where The GOATs of their industries giving their Mount Rushmores (Top 4) of hotly debated topics. Country music royalty walks into the room. Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean—two of the biggest names in the genre—sit down to settle the ultimate debate: who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Country Singers?The rules are set. The legends are nominated. And the arguments get heated fast. From George Strait's 60 number ones to Merle Haggard's songwriting legacy, from Dolly Parton's transcendent genius to the question of whether Hank Williams is the "George Washington" of coun...
Jay Leno & Judd Apatow Rank Their Rushmore of Stand-Up Comedians
Welcome to Rushmore On X, a show where The GOATs of their industries giving their Mount Rushmores (Top 4) of hotly debated topics. Jay Leno and Judd Apatow enter the arena to settle comedy's greatest debate, who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Stand-Up? From Richard Pryor's electrifying storytelling to George Carlin's cultural rebellion, the legends are nominated and fiercely debated. Hear incredible personal stories, from bombing after a legend to getting a midnight call from Jay, as these comedy minds clash to crown the undisputed Top 4.Special thanks to Jay Leno & Judd Apatow for joining our Stand-Up episode.Don't...
Dana White & Max Kellerman Rank Their Mount Rushmore of Boxers
Welcome to Rushmore On X, a show where The GOATs of their industries giving their Mount Rushmores (Top 4) of hotly debated topics.UFC President Dana White and boxing analyst Max Kellerman clash over the Mount Rushmore of boxing's greatest fighters. With starkly different criteria like box office draw vs. pound-for-pound skill, the debate gets heated. White argues for Mike Tyson's cultural impact, while Kellerman makes a historical case for Joe Louis. Watch as legends like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson get unanimous praise, while Floyd Mayweather's undefeated record and Marvin Hagler's dominance spark major controversy. Can these experts...