# TMZ’s Harvey Levin Says Politics Is Pop Culture

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-with-kara-swisher-5665900/tmz-s-harvey-levin-says-politics-is-pop-culture
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-with-kara-swisher-5665900/tmz-s-harvey-levin-says-politics-is-pop-culture.md
Podcast: [On with Kara Swisher](https://stenobird.com/podcast/on-with-kara-swisher-5665900)
Published: 2026-06-22T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/257/traffic.megaphone.fm/VMP6126029201.mp3
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/257/traffic.megaphone.fm/VMP6126029201.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3448

## Resource

TMZ, the celebrity news juggernaut, opened a Washington, D.C., bureau this spring. Founder Harvey Levin joins Kara to talk about the stories his team is looking for and why he views politics as pop culture. Levin discusses TMZ’s earlier attempts to establish a presence in the capital and how the latest government shutdown helped revive the idea. He and Kara dig into TMZ’s standards, whether it pays sources, and Levin’s relationship with President Trump. They also discuss TMZ’s coverage of Spencer Pratt’s failed Los Angeles mayoral run. Plus: how Levin is pivoting the business toward social media and YouTube. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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## Transcript

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