You’re Wrong About (September 2018) is a podcast hosted by journalists Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall (Marshall solo after 2022) that reexamines misunderstood historical events, debunking cultural myths and media narratives through research and empathy. The show pioneered “corrective history” podcasting and demonstrated audiences’ hunger for nuanced revisionism.
Format and Philosophy
Each episode investigates culturally embedded narratives—Tonya Harding, Terri Schiavo, stranger danger, the obesity epidemic, DC snipers—revealing how media sensationalism, moral panics, and missing context distorted public understanding. The hosts researched extensively (court documents, academic papers, contemporaneous reporting) before discussing findings conversationally.
The show’s empathy-first approach distinguished it from debunking podcasts that mock subjects. You’re Wrong About treated historical figures with compassion, acknowledging suffering caused by media pile-ons and public misunderstanding. The philosophy: most people aren’t villains, but victims of circumstances and systemic failures.
Signature Episodes
Tonya Harding Series: Multi-episode investigation revealed how media sexism, class prejudice, and figure skating’s gatekeeping destroyed Harding’s reputation beyond evidence. The series contributed to Harding’s cultural rehabilitation.
Anna Nicole Smith: Sympathetic portrait of woman exploited by media, entertainment industry, and abusive partners—contrasting with tabloid “gold digger” narrative.
DC Snipers: Examined how media ignored domestic violence context (older sniper grooming teenager) in favor of terrorism speculation.
OJ Simpson Series: Year-long deep dive into trial, examining race, domestic violence, celebrity, and criminal justice failures with nuance missing from true crime coverage.
The Obesity Epidemic: Debunked moral panic around obesity, investigating how diet industry funding shaped public health narratives.
Research and Accuracy
Unlike speculative podcasts, You’re Wrong About maintained rigorous sourcing standards. Episodes included citations, acknowledged uncertainty, and corrected errors publicly. The hosts’ journalism backgrounds (Hobbes at HuffPost, Marshall academic researcher) ensured accountability missing from entertainment podcasts.
The show demonstrated how media literacy podcasting could be entertaining—making research engaging through hosts’ chemistry, humor, and genuine curiosity.
Cultural Impact
You’re Wrong About influenced how listeners consumed news and history—encouraging skepticism of narratives, seeking missing context, and considering whose perspectives media amplified or ignored. The show particularly resonated with millennials/Gen Z discovering their childhood’s cultural moments involved more complexity than remembered.
The podcast contributed to broader cultural reassessments: Britney Spears’ conservatorship abuse, Jessica Simpson’s media treatment, Monica Lewinsky’s victimization. You’re Wrong About provided intellectual framework for these reconsiderations.
Co-Host Split
2022: Michael Hobbes departed for solo projects (Maintenance Phase health podcast). Sarah Marshall continued You’re Wrong About alone, maintaining format and philosophy. The split demonstrated podcast partnerships’ fragility and solo hosts’ viability.
Criticisms
Some critics argued the show’s revisionism occasionally overcorrected—defending subjects beyond evidence or minimizing genuine wrongdoing for empathy’s sake. The hosts’ progressive politics shaped which stories deserved reassessment, potentially creating new biases while correcting old ones.
Legacy
You’re Wrong About established “myth-busting history” as sustainable podcast genre (Maintenance Phase, If Books Could Kill), demonstrated research-driven content’s entertainment value, and modeled how to correct cultural narratives with empathy rather than smugness. The show taught millions to question accepted truths and seek complexity.
Sources: The Atlantic, Vulture, podcast episode transcripts, iTunes charts, listener reviews