The three musketeers of media politics return. This week, they discuss the passing of Ed Koch, chain stores on the Upper West Side, Barnes and Noble as the bad guy, the changing business model of show biz, conservatives on cable, billionaires who buy studios, conservative movies, and of course — Oscar picks!

Hey, it’s the first Goldberg, Long, and Podhoretz of the new year and our merry band of gentlemen and gentile riff on a wide variety of topics for you. This week: funiculars, Al Gore sells to Al-Jazeera, just where are Obama’s women cabinet officers, lower standards for Mount Rushmore, Chuck Hagel, Downton Abbey, the Oscars, Game of Thrones, the Oscars and Lincoln, and yes, trillion dollar coins and John’s out of the box idea for solving the debt crisis. 

This week on the show informally known as GLoP, a look at the horrific shootings in Connecticut with a discussion about dealing with the mentally ill, and what to change about the nation’s gun laws. Also, how Obama could really make a difference in the country by showing some leadership on the state of the black family, and the American family in general (see Jonah’s recent column on this topic here. Then, we segue a look at Hanukah versus Christmas, depictions of the holidays in television and the movies, (including The Brady Bunch and a Charlie Brown Christmas). 

See you next year, everybody!

Goldberg. Podhoretz, and Long are back for another bull session. This week, the Two and A Half Mensches cover the Chicago teacher’s strike, why conventions are so..conventional, John’s encyclopedic knowledge of old TV Guides, Sinatra’s advice for George Michaels, why movies stink, and who Pod thinks ought to be nominated for an Emmy this year.

Note: Yes, we were not kissed by the Skype gods on this episode. We’ll try and do better in the future. 

In this first episode of our newest (and as of yet, unnamed) podcast, Rob Long, National Review’s Jonah Goldberg, and Commentary’s John Podhoretz riff on culture, media, and politics. This week, Podhoretz about-faces on Twitter, all about Akin, the hows and why of plagiarism, are we in a new golden age of television, and John describes why the Game of Thrones novels are in fact a scandal and should be banned. Also, stick around to the very end: that’s when they tell their favorite joke of the week. Certain to be become a regular feature. 

Have a suggestion for title for this show? Let us know in the comments. Rob, Jonah, and John will pick their favorite and we’ll anoint the winner with a coveted Ricochet coffee mug.