Maria Konnikova and James Hartigan Talk Misinformation on New Podcast

Poker players pride themselves in being able to sniff out bluffs, but how about spotting misinformation in the digital age?

Misinformation was the subject of the latest episode of The Tough Call, a new podcast hosted by PokerStars Ambassadors Maria Konnikova and James Hartigan that connects the poker world to the wider realms of business and politics.

For the second episode, which was published on Election Day, the poker duo sat down in Las Vegas with Jon Ralston, the CEO and founder of The Nevada Independent for a discussion with the journalist about trust, media and election predictions.

Politics and Poker Collide

As a poker player and acclaimed psychology author, Konnikova is uniquely qualified to discuss misinformation. In a 2015 The New Yorker piece titled “How Stories Deceive,” the PokerStars ambassador discussed how con artists use narratives to decieve unexpected groups and audiences.

Another topic discussed by Konnikova, Hartigan and Ralston was Ralston’s incorrect predictions in the 2024 presidential election.

Interestingly, election projections are the specialty of Nate Silver, Konnikova’s former co-host on the Risky Business podcast. Silver discussed his 2024 presidential elections in depth on the PokerNews Life Outside Poker podcast.

Ralston also spoke in length about this year’s midterm elections, which have been dubbed a “blue tsunami” and saw Nevada voters electing Democratic candidate Aaron Ford in a shock to Republicans.

Ralston was a vocal critic of Danielle Ford, an independent in the race who credits her poker background and connections in the poker community with her political rise. PokerNews profiled the unaffiliated candidate ahead of Tuesday’s midterms, which saw her getting around 3% of the vote.

Head to YouTube to watch the full 50-minute podcast episode, which is also available on podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

What’s Coming Up?

Ralston’s appearance on the podcast followed a debut episode with Jason Koon, a PokerStars ambassador who is widely regarded as one of the top high-stakes pros of his generation.

Future guests lined up for the podcast, which releases every Tuesday, include investor and high-stakes poker player Bill Perkins, bestselling author David Epstein, award-winning television writer, producer, and showrunner Mark Goffman, and Samm Hunter, a renowned performance, mindset, and relationship coach.

Check out the publishing schedule below for the first season of the podcast, which will consist of ten episodes.

The Tough Call Season One Release Schedule

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.