Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci

Hosted by SALT & Goalhanger

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280

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

You may think you know Anthony Scaramucci: a Harvard Law School graduate who cut his teeth at Goldman Sachs, went on to build two successful businesses and had an 11-day stint in the White House. What people don’t know is he’s an avid reader, endlessly curious, history buff with a restless mind. On Open Book, listeners will hear and get to know the real Anthony: the proud son of immigrant parents, a long-suffering New York Mets fan, and a father of five. Each week, he’ll invite you into an intimate and open conversation with some of the brightest minds out there, from business, politics, entertainment, and more. Together, they’ll go deep into a piece of work - whether it's a highly anticipated book, an in-depth feature story, or an opinion piece – to dig into why it matters to you, what we can learn from the past, and how their work is shaping our future. Along the way, you’ll learn more about The Mooch – beyond the headlines – where he came from and how he got here. He’ll turn the pages on his own life lessons from his blue-collar upbringing and career on Wall Street to getting his teeth kicked in the White House and then, coming back stronger. He’ll offer his perspective as a self-made entrepreneur and “open book” with a lot of experience, both good and bad. Tune in every week to hear fascinating conversations you won’t get anywhere else.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 15, 202631 min

Baseball Icon Dusty Baker: The Life Lessons Baseball Taught Me

Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker Jr. is the former manager of the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, and Houston Astros. Baker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves after graduating high school in California in 1967 and went on to win the World Series in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baker retired as a player in 1987 and has since become one of the most celebrated managers in MLB history, winning another World Series in 2022 as manager of the Houston Astros. Get a copy of his brilliant memoir, Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out now: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

October 13, 202633 min

Why Trump Survives Scandals That Destroy Other Politicians – Stephen Sackur

Connect with top talent ready to help your business grow: https://www.upwork.com/ What happens to democracy when the truth no longer matters, politicians are rewarded for lying, and the institutions meant to hold them accountable are losing their power? This week, I sit down with legendary BBC journalist Stephen Sackur to discuss the investigations that shook the world, why Donald Trump has survived scandals that would have destroyed other presidents, and whether investigative journalism can still hold the powerful accountable. Stephen Sackur joined the BBC as a graduate trainee and spent many years as a foreign correspondent, covering the 1989 revolutions, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the First Gulf War. He was based in Cairo from 1992 to 1995, and in Jerusalem from 1995 to 1997. He then moved to Washington, where he covered the 2000 election. He presented HARDtalk from 2005 to the final episode in March 2025. In June 2025, Stephen joined Times Radio as a regular presenter of The Times at One. Pick up your copy of Stephen's wonderful new book Hard Truth: Investigations That Shook The World – And Why They Matter Now today. 📚 Books mentioned in the episode: The Powers That Be by David Halberstam Patriot by Alexei Navalny Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

October 6, 202629 min

How Hollywood Sold Out to China — Chris Fenton

Hollywood thought China represented the biggest growth opportunity in the world, but somewhere along the way, we started changing our movies, compromising our values, and teaching them how to compete with us. Chris Fenton was in the room when those deals were being made, and today he’s sounding the alarm about what America got wrong and what we need to do before it’s too late. Chris Fenton served as president of DMG Entertainment Motion Picture Group and GM of DMG North America, internationally orchestrating the creative and business activities of DMG- a multi-billion-dollar global media company headquartered in Beijing. He has produced or supervised twenty-one films, grossing $2 billion at the worldwide box office. Get a copy of his book Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, & American Business here: https://amzn.to/4xYdPlt Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump here: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 29, 202633 min

The Decisions That Changed the Middle East Forever - Akbar Shahid Ahmed

My guest today is Akbar Shahid Ahmed, an award-winning foreign affairs journalist whose new book Crossing the Red Line takes us inside the Biden administration’s handling of Israel and the war in Gaza. We get into what Washington knew before October 7th, the warnings that were missed, and how the decisions that followed reshaped America’s relationship with Israel and the Middle East. These are the conversations we have to have in the world today. Akbar Shahid Ahmed is the Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for HuffPost, based in Washington, D.C. A native Pakistani, Akbar has reported from around the globe. Akbar won the 2025 Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Writing and a 2025 New York Press Club Award. Read his wonderful new book, Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel's War in Gaza Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out now: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 22, 202634 min

Billionaire David Rubenstein: Owning a Sports Team Is Harder Than Anything I've Done Before

I am honored to be joined by my friend and repeat guest on Open Book, David Rubenstein. He has built one of the most successful careers in private equity, but he’ll be the first to tell you that owning a baseball team may be even harder. We talk about what he’s learned inside the owner’s box, why the best leaders know when to get out of the way, and his mission to bring a World Series championship back to his hometown of Baltimore. David M. Rubenstein is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Invest, How to Lead, The American Experiment, The American Story, The Highest Calling, and Inside the Owner’s Box. He is Co-founder and Co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most successful private investment firms. An original signer of The Giving Pledge and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Mr. Rubenstein chairs the Boards of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Gallery of Art, the Economic Club of Washington, and the University of Chicago. Rubenstein is the Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles. He hosts The David Rubenstein Show on Bloomberg TV and PBS, and Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein on Bloomberg TV. David is brilliant, and this book provides amazing insights into the life of a sports owner: Inside the Owner's Box: Conversations on Power and Leadership in Sports. Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 15, 202634 min

The Historian Who Explains Why the Middle East Is Messed Up - Simon Sebag Montefiore

The Middle East didn’t become a cauldron overnight, and to understand what’s happening there today, you have to understand the history that brought us here. Simon Sebag Montefiore joins me to unpack the revolutions, empires, wars, and extraordinary personalities that shaped the region, and why decisions made decades ago still reverberate around the world today. Simon Sebag Montefiore is a historian whose bestselling books have been published in forty-eight languages and have won numerous awards, including the Costa Biography Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His books include Catherine the Great and Potemkin; Stalin; Young Stalin; Jerusalem; The Romanovs; The World; the acclaimed Moscow Trilogy of novels; Written in History; and Voices of History. He received his Ph.D. from Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. I love all of Simon's books, but this might just be my favorite: The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Pre-order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 10, 202639 min

How Wall Street’s Billionaires Became Untouchable - William D. Cohan

What happens when you accumulate so much money and power that the normal rules no longer seem to apply? William Cohan joins me to unpack the extraordinary rise of Leon Black and Apollo, and a story of ambition, rivalry, Jeffrey Epstein, and the hubris that can turn unimaginable success into a cautionary tale. William D. Cohan is the New York Times bestselling author of Power Failure, which was named Best Book of 2022 by The New Yorker, Financial Times, and The Economist. He has written seven nonfiction narratives, including Money and Power, House of Cards, and The Last Tycoons. He was a longtime special correspondent at Vanity Fair and is a founding partner of and Wall Street correspondent for Puck. He writes often for the opinion pages of The New York Times and Financial Times and appears regularly on CNN, MSNOW, and BBC. This book is Bill Cohan at his very best: Money to Burn: The Unvarnished Truth About Leon Black, Apollo, and the Rise of a New Wall Street. Get it today! Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Pre-order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 8, 202635 min

Harlan Coben Sold 100 Million Books. Here’s His Advice for Aspiring Writers.

He has sold more than 100 million books, but what I love most about Harlan Coben is that he’ll be the first to tell you he still wrestles with self-doubt, and that fear can either paralyze you or fuel you. We talk about why it’s never too late to start, why your first draft is supposed to be messy, and what one of the greatest storytellers of our time has learned about failure, creativity, and having the courage to just get started. Harlan Coben has over 80 million books in print worldwide. Harlan Coben is the #1 New York Times author of thirty-five novels, including WIN, THE BOY FROM THE WOODS, RUN AWAY, FOOL ME ONCE, TELL NO ONE, and the renowned Myron Bolitar series. His books are published in 46 languages around the globe. Get a copy of Harlan's brilliant new book (out today), Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Pre-order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 7, 202633 min

The KGB Spy Who Exposed Russia’s Secret Plan to Attack The West - Richard Kerbaj

This is an unbelievable true story of a KGB defector who helped MI5 blow apart the Soviet spy network in Britain, and why British intelligence decided it couldn’t trust the CIA with the secret. It’s a story about espionage, paranoia and betrayal during the Cold War, but as Richard explains, the lessons about Russia, China and the shadow war against the West couldn’t be more relevant today. Richard Kerbaj is an espionage historian, BAFTA-winning and twice Emmy-nominated filmmaker, known for specializing in research on intelligence agencies and national security. Get a copy of his brilliant new book, The Defector: The Untold Story of the KGB Agent Who Saved MI5 and Changed the Cold War Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Pre-order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 25, 202634 min

How Politics Destroyed American Universities - Neil Gross

Neil Gross joins me for a conversation about what happened to the American college experience, how politics, polarization, and fear of speaking your mind have damaged one of the greatest institutions this country ever built. We get into where the left went too far, why the right’s attacks on higher education could make things even worse, and whether America is at risk of giving away one of its greatest competitive advantages. Neil Gross is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Sociology at Colby College. He is the author of "Why Are Professors Liberal?" and "Why Do Conservatives Care?", which was based on the most comprehensive study of faculty politics since the 1960s. He has taught at Harvard, Princeton, Williams, and the University of Southern California and written for The Atlantic and The New York Times. Pick up your copy of Neil's brilliant new book What Happened to College?: How Politics Broke Higher Education and What We Can Do to Fix It (out today). Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Pre-order my next book, All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump, out on the 17th of September in the UK and the 22nd of September in the US: ⁠https://www.scaramucci.net/allthewrongmoves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices