Rushmore Podcast

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.
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Inside the conversation:
* Why Larry David kept the premise for “The Contest” hidden in his notebook for two years.
* The real-life dinner date that spawned “The Puffy Shirt” and the “Low Talker.”
* The midnight rewrite hours before filming that saved “The Marine Biologist.”
* The executive meeting where Larry David walked into the studio parking lot and quit.
Watch the full live episode above, or stream on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

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 secret basement CBA sessions with Jeff Saturday, and why he refused security orders to leave his seat during the Minnesota Miracle. Pat McAfee breaks down his high school kicking origin story, Peyton Manning’s neck injury, and the time he checked into a rogue fake punt against the Dallas Cowboys.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Pat McAfee Football Origin07:21 Roger Goodell Walks Into the Lion’s Den!13:40 28-3 The Greatest Comeback in Super Bowl History!15:40 Andrew Luck’s Unbelievable 38-10 Playoff Miracle!17:46 The Game That Created Steel City’s Iconic Song!20:06 Damar Hamlin’s Impossible 7-Month Comeback22:16 The INSANE Comeback You Forgot Existed!24:05 Beating 0.6% WIN Probability for NFL History26:11 10 Seconds Left and Zero Hope!28:58 Peyton Manning Breaks an Impossible Defense!34:44 Joe Burrow’s Iceman Run to the Super Bowl!38:18 Pat Saw Peyton’s Neck Stems & Panicked!40:07 Pat McAfee vs The Dallas Cowboys46:07 The Definitive Comeback Rushmore!46:30 Ranking the Best Football Songs!48:50 The Greatest Football Movies Ever Made!
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• Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Stream full video and audio on demand
• Substack: Receive every episode, breakdown, and discussion directly at rushmorepodcast.substack.com


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

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.
Follow The Rushmore Podcast across all platforms:
• Substack: Receive every episode, breakdown, and discussion directly
• Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Stream full video and audio on demand
• YouTube: Watch full episodes in 4K with visual debates
Join the debate and build your mountain: rushmorepodcast.substack.com


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

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 lists. After a tense tiebreaker between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, a definitive final four emerges.Special thanks to Maria Sharapova & John McEnroe for joining our greatest female tennis players episode.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

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 grew up on. Max argues for the forgotten giants of the 1910s and 1920s. The hosts weigh in with their own lists. The result is a furious, informed, and deeply respectful argument about who truly rules the 160‑pound division.Special thanks to Dana White & Max Kellerman for joining our Middleweight Boxing episode


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com