Sarah Marshall is an American writer whose work has appeared in BuzzFeed, The Believer, and The New Republic.[7] She is known for an interest in the mischaracterization of women by the mainstream media best demonstrated in her 2014 long-form profile of Tonya Harding.[7] The show began after Hobbes reached out to Marshall and proposed that they try to recreate their deep-dive research processes in audio format.[8] The pair only met in person after recording the show remotely for the first five months.[8]
During each episode, Hobbes and Marshall trade off on researching the show's topic, with one host taking on the research and analysis of a topic and the other coming to the discussion with little-to-no knowledge about the relevant details.[8] Each episode begins with the less informed host sharing what they remember about the person or event in question. Together they then explore the topic in a generally chronological manner, discussing relevant public responses and dominant societal trends from the era, before debunking that response and the subsequent media coverage. Witty observations and pop-culture references are woven in throughout the discussion. The discussions include references to primary resources used during the research process along with and direct quotes from media coverage interviews with relevant players.[9]
In March 2020, the podcast began a quarantine book club in response to COVID-19 lockdowns. The related episodes differ from the regular format as they focus on a single book with one host having read it and the other learning about it over the course of multiple episodes. Books covered include the satanic ritual abuse book Michelle Remembers, Jessica Simpson's autobiography Open Book, and Objection! by American lawyer and television personality Nancy Grace.[10]
The podcast is a part-time effort for both hosts and relies on crowd-funding.[11] The independent nature of the show is rooted in moral concerns about critiquing the media and potential constraints inherent to sponsorship.[11]
In October 2021, it was announced that Hobbes was leaving the podcast and the show would continue with Marshall and guests.[12]
Reception
In 2019, You're Wrong About was named one of the ten best podcasts by Time.[3] Writing for the Irish Times, Sarah Griffin praised the show's conversational tone noting how Hobbes and Marshall "handle incredibly dark subjects with a levity that never feels disrespectful."[13] Rachel Syme compared Hobbes and Marshall as a modern-day Statler and Waldorf, claiming their show is a history podcast that "assumes the audience is capable of complex thought."[8]
The premier installment of ‘You’re Wrong About’ entails a discussion between Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes about the Satanic Panic, a widespread moral panic during the 1980s and 1990s, characterized by baseless allegations of ritualistic child abuse, fuelled by societal fears and media sensationalism. The panic began with accusations of child sexual abuse and outlandish claims, such as a teacher flying through the air. Police involvement led to widespread panic and dubious child testimonies, often shaped by leading questions from adults. Despite extensive investigations and media coverage, no evidence was found, and all accused were acquitted.
Author, musher, and friend of the show Blair Braverman returns to discuss Chris McCandless's life and untimely death. Braverman describes McCandless's upbringing in an unstable and emotionally fraught household and how it shaped his desire to live nomadically. Braverman provides an invaluable lens on McCandless's death, illustrating how the hubris of other survivalists has clouded his legacy.
Writer, podcaster and friend of the show Josie Duffy Rice returns to discuss the history and politics of juvenile “justice” in the United States. Rice outlines the 1838 Ex Parte Crouse Supreme Court decision and doctrine of parens patriae, which empowered the government to remove children from ‘unfit’ parents, as the genesis of juvenile “justice”. Rice emphasizes the essentiality of race in this discourse—while deviant white children were thought capable of reform, Black children were considered incorrigible. Rice and Marshall discuss children’s due process rights, charging children as adults, and giving children life sentences while simultaneously considering the ethicality, morality, and efficacy of past and contemporary juvenile “justice”.
