Next Up with Mark Halperin

Episode: Katie Porter Snaps, Pam Bondi's Senate Roast, MTG Gets Praise From CNN, and “Lucky” Leland Vittert
Date: October 9, 2025

Overview

In this lively and engaging episode, Mark Halperin delivers his signature blend of political analysis and humor as he tackles the latest eyebrow-raising moments in politics and media. He opens with a monologue highlighting five outrageous and hilarious political happenings—including Katie Porter’s temper, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s unexpected praise from CNN, and Pam Bondi’s Senate smackdown—before turning the spotlight to conversations with two authors: Leland Vittert on his memoir "Born Lucky", a moving story of growing up autistic, and Drew Nieprent, New York restaurateur, on his new book about building world-class restaurants and managing big personalities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Halperin’s Political Monologue: Five Hilarious Recent Moments

(Starts ~00:40)

1. Katie Porter’s Viral On-Camera Blowup

• Context: Katie Porter, former Democratic Congresswoman and now candidate for California governor, snapped at a staffer during a taped interview.
• Implications: Her widely reported temper, especially toward staff, could damage her campaign, especially as old “temper” stories resurface.
• Quote:
  • “Stay out of my fucking shot. I wanted to tell you that that's actually incorrect.” — Katie Porter [06:00]
• Halperin’s Take:
  • “It is a facial expression that anybody who’s worked for a very tough boss has seen before. And it’s getting a lot of attention… I think it dooms her candidacy.” [06:25]

2. Hakeem Jeffries vs. Mike Lawler: Political Showmanship

• A recorded dust-up between Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Republican moderate Mike Lawler at a press conference exemplified performative politics for the camera.
• Quote:
  • “You’re making a show of this to make yourself relevant.” — Mark Halperin, quoting Jeffries [08:31]
  • “You’re embarrassing yourself right now.” — Drew Neeprent, quoting Jeffries [08:33]
• Halperin’s Take: “It’s not a real conversation. It’s like a little movie… they’re both very media savvy, both aware they’re performing for the cameras.” [09:32]

3. Marjorie Taylor Greene Becomes Media Darling (At Least Temporarily)

• MTG sides against Trump and for Obamacare subsidies—Democrats and journalists now embrace her as a sage.
• Quote:
  • “If they’re surprised that I’m willing to be outspoken on basically issues that I think are right and wrong, they just didn’t know me from the beginning.” — Katie Porter, as MTG [12:10]
• Halperin’s Take: “They’re treating her like Joan of Arc… now Marjorie Taylor’s a hero to the dominant media. I find it hilarious.” [12:30]

4. Jimmy Kimmel Would Book Trump (And Trump Might Just Show Up)

• Kimmel, after facing FCC issues, is asked if he’d book Trump. He says yes, tongue-in-cheek, but Halperin speculates Trump actually might go on.
• Quote:
  • “Yeah, I’d love to have Trump on the show. For sure.” — Jimmy Kimmel [14:53]
• Halperin’s Take: “Trump is a showman… if Kimmel really reached out, I think it’s a good possibility he would do it and find that also quite funny.” [15:14]

5. Pam Bondi’s Senate “Dozens”

• Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives on Capitol Hill armed with detailed opposition research, roasting Democratic senators with personal digs during her testimony.
• Quote:
  • “Senator, you’re so ugly that you couldn’t get a date in high school. That’s an exaggeration… But she just had little digs that she was going to unfurl back at these Democratic senators.” — Halperin [around 19:50]
  • “I cannot believe that you would accuse me of impropriety when you lied about your military service.” — Katie Porter, quoting Bondi [20:43]
• Halperin’s Take: “I found it hilarious just how she had all these lines and she delivered them in kind of a rote but nasty way… I love humor. I love comedy. And we all need to do our best to find humor in things.” [21:35]

Author Interview: Leland Vittert on "Born Lucky"

(Starts ~26:38)

The Book’s Story and Purpose

• Leland Vittert, now chief Washington anchor for News Nation, narrates his journey from a difficult, misunderstood childhood diagnosis to professional success as a national news anchor.
• Central theme: Parental agency and perseverance in the face of an autism spectrum diagnosis.
• Quote:
  • “Born Lucky is hope for every parent who has a kid who’s having a hard time… parents have enormous agency and enormous power to affect how their kid turns out.” — Leland Vittert [30:28]

Key Childhood Experiences

• At age 5, Leland was marked as a “behavior problem”; major IQ spread (genius to “mentally retarded”).
• Pressured to adapt the world to him, Leland’s father insisted instead on teaching Leland to adapt to the world.
• Quote:
  • “My father said, ‘I am not going to adapt the world to my son. I am going to teach my son to adapt to the world.’” — Leland Vittert [28:52]

Parenting Lessons & Broader Messages

• The memoir is intended as a “love letter” to Leland’s dad and an inspiration for other parents facing similar challenges.
• Earned self-esteem through hard work (e.g., daily pushups as a child), guidance at social events, and relentless engagement by his father.
• Not a “cure” book, but a story of hope, parental action, and agency.
• Quote:
  • “Self-esteem is earned, not given. That applies to every kid in the world.” — Leland Vittert [34:36]

Emotional Moments & Notable Exchanges

• Halperin chokes up recounting the emotional impact of the story; Leland explains he learned to suppress emotions as a coping mechanism.
• Quote:
  • “Through high school and through the bullying and isolation… I learned to just sort of turn my emotions off because otherwise they come all pouring out.” — Leland Vittert [36:48]
• Leland recounts stories of everyday struggles with social interaction, the importance of taking responsibility, and never using autism as an excuse for rudeness.

Broader Impact and Reader Response

• The book has sparked a flood of emails and letters from parents—many of whom find hope and practical encouragement in Leland’s experience.
• Leland’s father, though embarrassed by the attention, is gratified by the book’s influence.
• Quote:
  • “He said, ‘I would have read it every week.’” — Leland Vittert, on his father’s reaction if he’d had the book when Leland was young [43:42]

Genre and Takeaway

• Part-memoir, part-parenting guide, part-love-letter.
• Halperin: “A story… that gives everyone a sense of the possibility of human agency and the power to make someone’s life better.” [51:48]

Author Interview: Drew Nieprent on "I’m Not Trying to Be Difficult"

(Starts ~56:50)

The Restaurateur’s Art: From Nobu to New York Legends

• Drew Nieprent, partner in Nobu NYC (and many other restaurants, with Robert De Niro and others), shares behind-the-scenes war stories of what it takes to create and sustain a groundbreaking restaurant.
• The title comes from misconceptions: “They saw me as the difficult one. But I wasn’t trying to be difficult.” [57:26]

What Makes a Great Restaurateur?

• Not a chef or architect, but more like a movie director: assembling the vision, coordinating the chef, designer, and staff to realize a unique concept.
• Drew’s background: Grew up in restaurants, obsessed with food, planned from youth to work in the industry, benefited from both ‘school of hard knocks’ and formal training at Cornell’s hospitality program.
• Quote:
  • “I approach a restaurant like a director approaches a movie. Everyone is different. The script is different, the chef is different… and it’s your vision.” — Drew Nieprent [59:29]

The Nobu Phenomenon

• How Nobu became the world’s most famous Japanese restaurant brand—by making Japanese cuisine accessible to American tastes but at the same time refined.
• Fun origin tale: A twist of fate and happenstance led Nieprent, De Niro, and Nobu Matsuhisa to bring the concept from LA to New York.
  • Quote: “Like most great things, and Nobu is a great thing… it happened by accident.” [63:05]
• Longevity: In 31 years, the menu hasn’t changed, yet it feels contemporary—Nobu anticipated and created customer taste.

Why Do Most Restaurants Fail?

• Lack of professionalism and practical knowledge.
• Chefs often don’t have the skills or temperament for business demands.
• Execution, consistency, and timing (getting the food out, not just cooking it well) are vital.
• Managing the egos and needs of star chefs is like casting for a Broadway show—getting the right talent in the right situation is everything.

Who Should Read the Book?

• New Yorkers, of course, but anyone interested in food, entrepreneurship, team-building, or great stories well-told.
• Lessons transcend the restaurant world: “How do you get the best out of someone who is essential to what you’re doing, without triggering them into negativity?” — Mark Halperin [75:11]

Notable Moments / Tone

• Halperin and Drew trade restaurateur war stories, with Halperin playing the “enthusiastic foodie.”
• Anecdotes about De Niro, surprise three-star reviews, actor partners, and ‘casting chef’ strategies.
• Quote:
  • “Every successful restaurant is a miracle.” — Mark Halperin [75:32]
  • “My first one was five years, but at least is usually 10 years. Tribeca Grill, 35 years. Nobu 31 years. Montrachet 38 years. My restaurants went for a long time. Why? Because they flowed with the times.” — Drew Nieprent [78:23]

Memorable Quotes with Timestamps

• “Stay out of my fucking shot.” — Katie Porter [06:00]
• “You’re making a show of this to make yourself relevant.” — Mark Halperin, quoting Jeffries [08:31]
• “They’re treating her like Joan of Arc… now Marjorie Taylor’s a hero.” — Mark Halperin [12:30]
• “Yeah, I’d love to have Trump on the show. For sure.” — Jimmy Kimmel [14:53]
• “I cannot believe that you would accuse me of impropriety when you lied about your military service.” — Pam Bondi, per Halperin [20:43]
• “Born Lucky is hope for every parent who has a kid who’s having a hard time.” — Leland Vittert [30:28]
• “Self-esteem is earned, not given.” — Leland Vittert [34:36]
• “I approach a restaurant like a director approaches a movie. Everyone is different. The script is different, the chef is different…” — Drew Nieprent [59:29]
• “Every successful restaurant is a miracle.” — Mark Halperin [75:32]

Important Timestamps for Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Halperin's Humorous Monologue Begins | 00:40 | | Katie Porter Snaps | 05:36–06:20 | | Jeffries vs. Lawler Fake Confrontation | 08:17–09:32 | | MTG Praised by CNN | 11:51–13:15 | | Jimmy Kimmel on if He'd Book Trump | 14:53–15:14 | | Pam Bondi's Senate Smackdown | 20:43–21:35 | | Leland Vittert Interview Begins | 26:38 | | Drew Nieprent Interview Begins | 56:50 |

Tone and Style

• Mark Halperin maintains a wry, amused viewpoint, blending insider political analysis with a Mel Brooks-esque attitude that “anything can be funny.”
• Guests Drew Nieprent and Leland Vittert are candid, self-effacing, and open—Drew with New York chutzpah and storytelling verve, Leland with humility and reflective hopefulness.
• Throughout, the show balances substance with humor, drawing larger lessons from political theater and personal stories alike.

For Listeners Who Haven't Heard the Episode

This episode is an ideal entry point for both regular and new listeners, offering political entertainment, rare candor in personal storytelling, and practical wisdom for parents, entrepreneurs, and anyone fascinated by public life. The episode moves briskly from lampooning the week’s biggest political antics to emotionally resonant conversations that stick with you long after listening. If you enjoy unique perspectives and a blend of substance and levity, this is a must-hear.