Podcast Summary

The New Yorker Radio Hour
Episode: Joan Jett’s Reputation
Air Date: October 2, 2018
Host: David Remnick (with staff writers Sarah Larson, Sheila Kolhatkar, and John Cassidy)
Featured Guest: Joan Jett

Overview

This episode of "The New Yorker Radio Hour" features a two-part structure. The first half is an intimate conversation between staff writer Sarah Larson and rock icon Joan Jett, prompted by the recent documentary Bad Reputation. The discussion explores Jett’s experiences as a pioneering woman in rock music, her approach to adversity, and her cultural legacy. The second half shifts to a political discussion on U.S. trade policy and tariffs, featuring John Cassidy and Sheila Kolhatkar analyzing the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs ahead of the 2018 midterms.

Part I: Joan Jett’s Reputation and Legacy

(00:09 – 12:34)

A Fan’s Introduction and Emotional Response

• Sarah Larson recounts childhood memories of Joan Jett’s music and the empowering impact it had on her as a young girl (01:19).

  • “After seeing your story and hearing the music, I walked down 6th Avenue and just felt like I owned it. I felt very powerful and excited and happy… it reminded me of how I felt when I was a kid.” (Sarah Larson, 01:36)

• Joan Jett receives this emotional feedback gratefully, explaining that reaching people in this way is precisely her intent:

  • “Hearing that from you makes me feel like we achieved [that].” (Joan Jett, 02:26)

Early Barriers and Defiance

• Jett describes her parents giving her a Sears Silvertone electric guitar and her initial encounter with gatekeeping:
  • “The guy told me, girls don't play rock and roll…. So you’re not telling me girls can’t master the guitar. What you’re saying is I can’t be the Rolling Stones.” (Joan Jett, 03:15)
• She identifies her teenage rebellion not as pushback against family, but against social attitudes restricting women’s ambitions (04:11).
  • “It was more about society telling… pretending we could be anything, but not really… walking the walk.” (Joan Jett, 04:20)

The Runaways, Pushback, and Sexism in Rock

• Larson observes how The Runaways faced both adulation (notably in Japan: “like Beatlemania”) and heavy sexist hostility in the U.S. (04:35).
• Jett reflects on confusion and frustration over backlash:
  • “People were pushing back against us… when they couldn’t throw us off base that way, they started calling us names... or try to drive the subject always about talking about sex as opposed to the music. I find it kind of childish.” (Joan Jett, 04:50)

“Bad Reputation” and Turning Adversity Into Art

• Jett discusses how criticism inspired her signature song:
  • “I was just reflecting on how people threw my own ambition back in my face, trying to give it sort of a tinge of deviance... So… we discuss these subjects and then… make fun of that… and say, ‘I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation.’” (Joan Jett, 05:38)

Bubblegum Meets Punk: Sound and Identity

• Larson notes the unique blend of catchy melodies (“bubblegum”) and “menace” in Jett’s sound, thanks in part to producer Kenny Laguna’s background.
  • “Kenny comes from the Brill Building history of songwriting… [The combination of] his bubblegum-ness and, you know, I really respect it... The combination just really worked out.” (Joan Jett, 07:13)

Iconic Collaborations and Honors

• The conversation shifts to Jett’s memorable 2014 performance with Nirvana at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
  • “I was petrified… Not only do you have to be there enough for the band to play the song, but the fans. I was strangely very calm that night, like I knew I wouldn’t mess it up. I think... there had to be some spirit there, because I wasn’t doing it.” (Joan Jett, 09:25)
• The following year, Jett herself was inducted, a moment she describes as overwhelmingly emotional:
  • “I had planned on keeping it together, but… seeing Paul McCartney and Ringo stand up… and then the whole building stand up, it was just more than I could handle emotionally. And I just broke down.” (Joan Jett, 10:18)

Cultural Representation and Lasting Impact

• Larson observes Jett’s influence on pop culture, from fashion to TV characters referencing the “Joan Jett type.”

• Jett comments on what her story symbolizes:

  • “Perseverance, fighting for what you believe in... Don’t let other people dictate what your life is going to be. People tend to shoot down other people’s dreams… watch for that.” (Joan Jett, 11:13 and 11:55)

• Closing Sentiment:

  • “If there’s something you really want to do or be in life, you have to go for it. I think it’s really, really important to not let other people dictate your life.” (Joan Jett, 12:12)

Part II: U.S. Trade Policy and the 2018 Midterm Elections

(14:08 – 25:14)

The Politics of Tariffs and Trade Wars

• Sheila Kolhatkar and John Cassidy dissect the Trump administration’s escalating trade war with China and the introduction of tariffs right before the midterms.
• Cassidy notes internal Republican tensions:
  • “I certainly think a lot of people on the Republican side would have wished he’d waited until after the midterms just because they’re already in bad shape… it’s a diversion from the good economic news, which Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell would rather be talking about.” (John Cassidy, 14:37)

Economic Effects and Consumer Impact

• Tariffs on goods like washing machines are already raising costs for consumers (15:25).
  • “They put tariffs on washing machines and prices… have gone up 10–15% and sales have gone down.” (John Cassidy, 15:25)
• The newly broadened tariffs are expected to hit “a very wide range of goods,” affecting not just industry but everyday buyers (15:25–16:06).

Political Calculus in Swing States

• Cassidy explains why Trump sees tariffs as appealing to voters in industrial midwestern states:
  • “Trump’s big argument… he’s defending the industrial Midwest, the Rust Belt, and… the basic policies are pretty popular there.” (16:19)
• However, the effects aren’t uniform. Tariffs hurt some local industries and help others, influencing tight Senate races in states like Missouri, Tennessee, and North Dakota (17:10–19:14).
• In Tennessee, a reliably Republican state, tariffs are unpopular in some quarters, making the Senate race unusually competitive (18:18):
  • “That’s a typical sort of Southern Republican state where you think Trump’s policies would be popular, but in this case, they seem to be playing against him.” (John Cassidy, 19:10)

Democrats’ Messaging and Flexibility

• Kolhatkar and Cassidy examine how Democrats address the trade issue differently by region, reflecting local economic realities (22:59–23:33).
  • “I think Democrats don’t want a consistent message around it because they want their candidates to have a bit of flexibility.” (John Cassidy, 22:59)

Cassidy’s Assessment of the Trade War

• Cassidy argues that although Trump taps into legitimate grievances, his approach is erratic and counterproductive on a global scale:
  • “If we’re going to take on the Chinese, we need the support of the Europeans, the support of Canada, the support of Mexico. Trump’s just blundering in because he thinks if I just slap tariffs on everybody… they’ll buckle to me. And I think that’s the wrong way to go about it, and it’s not going to work.” (John Cassidy, 24:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joan Jett on intention behind her music:

  • “You want to reach people, connect, and make them feel… powerful in their own… whatever it is that they want to try to achieve.” (02:27)

• On receiving her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ovation:

  • “Seeing that and then the whole building stand up, it was just more than I could handle emotionally. And I just broke down…” (10:18)

• On perseverance:

  • “Don’t let other people dictate what your life is going to be… if there’s something you really want to do or be in life, you have to go for it.” (11:55 & 12:12)

• John Cassidy’s sardonic take on bailouts:

  • “They’re always in favor of socialism for farmers, capitalism for everybody else—socialism for the farmers.” (20:50)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• Joan Jett Interview: 00:09 – 12:34

  • Introduction and personal reflection (00:09–02:49)
  • Early challenges and social context (02:52–05:38)
  • Songwriting and music evolution (06:23–07:43)
  • Hall of Fame reflections and legacy (09:25–12:34)

• U.S. Tariffs and 2018 Midterms (John Cassidy & Sheila Kolhatkar): 14:08 – 25:14

  • Political stakes and Republican strategy (14:08–16:06)
  • Economic and campaign impacts (16:06–20:37)
  • Democratic responses and overall assessment (20:37–25:14)

Conclusion

This episode offers both a heartfelt portrait of Joan Jett’s lasting influence as a groundbreaker in rock and a timely discussion of the turbulent politics and economics of U.S. trade policy leading into the 2018 midterms. Jett’s story is emblematic of perseverance and owning one’s ambitions, while the policy roundtable captures the messy, localized realities of contemporary American politics.

For more:

• Bad Reputation (documentary on Joan Jett)
• New Yorker coverage of trade and business at newyorker.com