“Kill Switch,” hosted by Emmy and Pulitzer-winning journalist Dexter Thomas, Ph.D., debuts Today, April 23, with new episodes every Wednesday 

Listen to “Kill Switch” now HERE 

Show art HERE; Host Dexter Thomas photos HERE 

NEW YORK, NY – April 23, 2025 – Today, Kaleidoscope, a leading science and technology podcast network, and iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher according to Podtrac, announced the launch of “Kill Switch,” a new, boundary-pushing podcast that will dive into the technology shaping our world right now, hosted by Emmy-winning journalist Dexter Thomas, Ph.D. The first episode of “Kill Switch” will debut today April 23, with new episodes dropping weekly every Wednesday. Listen now HERE.

“Kill Switch” is a technology survival guide to modern culture, pulling back the curtain on the systems listeners rely on daily, from AI and privacy to the strange and absurd corners of the internet. Host Dexter Thomas will answer questions big and small—like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer? Episodes of “Kill Switch” will also feature “How to Now” segments, bringing the DIY back into technology and offering listeners practical steps to better utilize it, ranging from topics like how to run their own large language model (LLM) to keeping their data safe. The podcast will combat the difficulty of understanding increasingly user-friendly technology and aims to help listeners reclaim their agency and tech literacy in a world increasingly run by algorithms and automation. 

“Kill Switch” is hosted by media veteran Dexter Thomas, a three-time Emmy-winning journalist from San Bernardino, CA. Thomas began his reporting tenure as a culture and technology reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where his coverage contributed to a Pulitzer Prize and has since written for other major outlets including WIRED, The Guardian, VICE, and NPR. Thomas also is a former on-air correspondent for VICE News Tonight, airing across HBO MAX, Showtime and VICE TV, covering topics from drugs and videogames in the US to politics in South Africa. Thomas hosted and produced RESET, a 10-episode TV series covering the dark side of video games. A former Fulbright scholar, Thomas holds a doctoral degree in Asian Studies from Cornell University, where he wrote his dissertation on Japanese hip-hop and served as a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University. Also a musician and DJ, Thomas has written music appearing on various projects for HBO and VICE TV.

​“We’re living in a moment where technology is advancing faster than most people can realistically track or understand,” said Dexter Thomas. “Enter ‘Kill Switch,’ where we demystify the science and dissect the tech of the immediate now, breaking things down in a way that’s real, useful and applicable to our day-to-day lives. It’s an honor to be joining Kaleidoscope and iHeart’s slate of premier shows.”

“The future is now. ‘Kill Switch’ is looking at how tech is affecting our lives and the ways we understand the world right now,” said Kate Osborn, Executive Producer and Chief Strategy Officer at Kaleidoscope. “We look forward to helping people not just keep up with the latest shifts in our supercharged technological reality, but to feel empowered to reclaim control of their lives within it.”

“Kill Switch” is the latest addition to Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts’ growing slate of acclaimed shows, joining their flagship show “TechStuff” with hosts Oz Woloshyn and Karah Preiss; “Levittown,” a deepfake AI true crime series in collaboration with Bloomberg; “Part-Time Genius” hosted by Mangesh Hattikudur and Will Pearson; and “On Musk With Walter Isaacson” among others. With “Kill Switch,” Kaleidoscope continues expanding its mission to spotlight today’s most interesting, urgent and important topics in science and technology. 

“‘Kill Switch’ is a powerful addition to Kaleidoscope’s mission of telling thrilling, consequential stories that bring today’s scientific renaissance to life,” said Oz Woloshyn, CEO of Kaleidoscope. “Dexter Thomas brings a rare combination of journalistic rigor, cultural insight, and approachability to this series that makes the most complex tech feel personal and accessible. As we continue building the premiere destination for science and technology storytelling, ‘Kill Switch’ is a natural progression of that vision.”

“At iHeartPodcasts, we’re always looking for shows that push boundaries, spark curiosity, and speak to the cultural moment, and ‘Kill Switch’ does exactly that,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “Dexter Thomas brings an unmatched voice to the tech space and we’re proud to launch this show with Kaleidoscope to help audiences better understand the fast-moving world around them.”

“Kill Switch” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. It is available now on the iHeartRadio App and everywhere podcasts are heard. New episodes post on Wednesdays. 

About Kill Switch
Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On Kill Switch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host Dexter Thomas answers questions big and small – like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?

Kill Switch also brings the DIY back to tech – “How to Now” on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more “user-friendly” our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We’re here to help you take back control. And if we can’t… Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

About Dexter Thomas
Dexter Thomas is from San Bernardino, CA. As a scholar, Dexter’s most recent academic post was at Princeton University. He holds a Ph. D. in Asian Studies from Cornell University, specializing in underground Japanese hip-hop culture. He is a Fulbright Scholar, and at UC Riverside, his alma mater, he established the world's largest publicly-accessible collection of Japanese hip-hop music and cultural materials. He has also taught a course on the concept of 'cool' in Japanese pop culture at UCLA. As a journalist, he is a three-time Emmy winner, working as on-camera correspondent for VICE News Tonight, with documentaries appearing on HBO, VICE TV, and Showtime, covering topics from policing and opioids in the US to hip-hop in China and elections in South Africa. He was also host and producer of RESET, a 10-episode TV series covering the dark side of video games. As a musician and DJ, he has written music appearing on HBO and VICE TV.

About Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope is the leading science and technology podcast network, telling thrilling stories of consequence that unpack the new scientific renaissance. Founded by Oz Woloshyn and Mangesh Hattikudur in 2022, Kaleidoscope's network reaches millions of listeners and is home to hit shows including On Musk: with Walter Isaacson and The Last Soviet: with Lance Bass. Visit www.k-scope.com for more information.

Press Contacts

Kaleidoscope

Michael Goldberg: michael@mmstratcomms.com  

Liz Keller: liz@mmstratcomms.com  

iHeartMedia, Inc.

Jenn Powers: jennpowers@iheartmedia.com

Khim Aday: khimaday@iheartmedia.com