The Lost Debate
News & Politics > American Politics
News & Politics > Policy
About the Podcast
Our flagship show is The Lost Debate, a twice-weekly YouTube and podcast program that brings you news, ideas, and trends of the day. It’s hosted by Ravi Gupta—former Obama administration and campaign staffer turned school principal and superintendent, Cory Bradford—former talk radio host and political organizer turned TikTok star and satirist. And, Rikki Schlott - a Gen Z New York Post columnist and libertarian fighting to protect free speech.
About the Host
Ravi Gupta, Cory Bradford, & Rikki Schlott
Before launching Lost Debate, Ravi founded Arena, where he led a team that helped elect over 75 candidates and train over 1500 political operatives. He’s the co-founder and chair of Second Chance Studios, a media company that exclusively employs the formerly incarcerated, and serves as the co-host of Majority 54, a political podcast about talking to friends and family with different political beliefs. Before Arena, he was the founder and CEO of RePublic Schools, a network of charter schools in the South. He also held a number of roles on Obama’s first campaign and first term, including as assistant to David Axelrod and Susan Rice — where he was “a slightly more substantive version of Gary from Veep.” A native of Staten Island, he graduated from Yale Law School, where, unbeknownst to the faculty, he was a pioneer in the concept of remote schooling, and Binghamton University, where he received an excellent and reasonably priced education.
Born in the deeply southern post-industrial town of Anniston, Alabama, Cory is best known for his colorful, satirical videos about American history and politics on TikTok, where he has garnered an audience of more than half a million followers. After graduating from high school, Cory spent time in the San Francisco Bay Area where he attended film school and earned a two-year technical degree in filmmaking and screenwriting. Cory later earned his BA in Communication from Southern New Hampshire University and has worked in talk radio and political organizing, serving as a project manager for several statewide campaigns during the 2018 midterms and the 2020 General Election. Cory doesn’t lean conservative or liberal and offers up a unique and compelling perspective on the inner workings of American politics, society and culture.
Rikki Schlott, a self-proclaimed “old person trapped in a young person’s body” is a libertarian journalist, commentator, and politically homeless member of Gen-Z. In addition to being a host at Lost Debate, Rikki is a New York Post columnist, a contributor at Reason Magazine, and a fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Pop culturally clueless and unable to navigate the intricacies of TikTok, Rikki much prefers books to people. If she goes missing, please check the Strand Bookstore’s rare books section prior to calling the authorities. When she isn’t studying history, politics, and philosophy as a part-time student at New York University, Rikki can be found hanging out with her best friend Pippa, a Samoyed puppy who is often confused with a cloud.
