Next Question with Katie Couric

This Thanksgiving week, just a few days shy of what would have been Matthew Shepard’s 45th birthday, Katie considers his lasting legacy. In 1998, Matthew, a college freshman at the University of Wyoming, was the victim of a brutal hate crime. His death quickly became a national story and a clarion call for gay rights that inspired a whole new generation of LGBTQ activists. “Matthew Shepard was a huge turning point,” says Alan Cumming. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie revisits the interviews she has done with Matthew’s parents, Judy and Dennis, over the years and examines the impact they have had on gay rights legislation as well as the huge cultural shift society, in general, has experienced over the decades. Jeff Mack, a friend of Matt’s from university, who is now the executive vice president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation guides us through Matt’s impact, explains why his death is considered the “second Stonewall,” and why his friend changes the course of his life forever. “It just means so much to be doing what I’m doing,” Mack says, “life has come full circle for me.” Find out more about the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie just wrapped up a whirlwind nine-city national book tour for her memoir, “Going There.” And when she was in Los Angeles she interviewed Tarana Burke, the activist, advocate and founder of the Me Too movement. It was a powerful conversation that Katie just can’t stop thinking about. So, on this special bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie shares her conversation with Tarana Burke in full. Get your copy of “Going There,” by Katie Couric.Find out more about Tarana Burke and check out her new memoir, “Unbound.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Alan Cumming had the gall to release his new memoir the same day as Katie’s, Katie had to invite him on the podcast. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, an utterly delightful conversation with the ever charming, insightful and hilarious Alan Cumming. They talk about why Alan wanted to write a second memoir (this one is called “Baggage”), his mission to normalize the messiness of life, why he has always been so open about his sexuality, and how much has — and hasn’t changed — for the LGBTQ community. They also dive into his bestieship with Monica Lewinsky, some of the best famous-friends anecdotes and the time he got a tattoo of someone’s name on his groin after two weeks of knowing him. Alan Cumming’s new book is called “Baggage: Tales From A Fully Packed Life” and it’s out now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past two weeks, world leaders and delegates from nearly every country have gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26. This annual summit on climate change will attempt to update the 2015 Paris agreement with accelerated action, higher targets and more ambitious cuts to carbon emissions -- our “last and best chance” at fighting climate change. In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie looks back at the big weather events she has reported on and talks to her friend and weather forecaster Dave Price about how coverage of and interest in climate change has shifted over the years. We also hear from two experts on the front lines of the climate crisis, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, co-founders of Global Optimism and co-hosts of the Outrage + Optimism podcast. Christiana and Tom were both integral in getting the seminal 2015 Paris agreement to an agreement and they share what’s at stake if we can’t curb emissions as well as practical actions we can all make right now. For more information on climate science, the climate crisis and what you can do, check out “The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisis,” by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, and listen to their podcast, Outrage + Optimism. Tri-staters, you can catch Dave Price at 11am and 4pm on your local NBC channel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Next Question with Katie Couric, part 2 of Katie’s behind-the-scenes look at the making of her memoir, “Going There.” Last week introduced listeners to her book team, Lucy Kaylin and Adriana Fazio (if you haven’t listened to that episode yet, go check it out first for helpful context and some fun stories). This week, Adriana, Lucy and Katie dive into the tough stuff — like writing about the death of Katie’s husband Jay to cancer at just 42, and processing the downfall of Matt Lauer. They also talk about how writing the book in 2021 — during a pandemic and racial reckoning — shed some much needed light on past interviews and moments in Katie’s life. You can buy “Going There,” by Katie Couric, on Amazon, your local bookstore or wherever you like to buy books. You can also find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and how to get tickets by going to Ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Happy reading! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s finally here! To celebrate the release of Katie Couric’s memoir “Going There,” Next Question with Katie Couric is releasing the first of two very exciting, podcast exclusive, behind the book episodes! This week, part 1 of the making of “Going There.” Katie introduces you to her “Going There” team — Lucy Kaylin and Adriana Fazio — two incredibly thoughtful people so perfectly suited to this project, it’s almost weird. The three talk about how they all met, the writing and research process, holing up in Katie’s house during the pandemic and how some of the most personal (and controversial) moments of the book came to be. You can buy “Going There,” by Katie Couric, on Amazon, your local bookstore or wherever you like to buy books. You can also find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and how to get tickets by going to Ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Happy reading! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie Couric got her start in local news, and found her footing as a broadcast journalist, reporting for WTVJ in Miami. But that was nearly 40 years ago. Unfortunately, today, local news, particularly print, is an industry in crisis. This week on Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with longtime journalist Margaret Sullivan about her book, “Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy,” and why the dire state of local news isn’t just bad for budding journalists, it’s bad for everyone. They also talk about their early days reporting for smaller markets and the people who are trying to save the industry today. The episode ends with first-person accounts of local news journalists, members of Report for America, a national service program that places emerging journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. They share what they’ve learned and why their work is so vital.Report for America is currently fielding some 300 corps members in more than 200 newsrooms across the country. These include newspapers, radio, television, and digital outlets. Applications for new corps members will be open Dec. 1. Find out more about at their website, reportforamerica.org. Pre-order Katie Couric’s memoir, “Going There,” to learn more about her early reporting days and the makings of her broadcast career. To find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and to buy tickets go to ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twenty-one years ago, Katie Couric aired her first colonoscopy on the ‘Today Show.' It was an up-close and personal experience that helped demystify a still-taboo health procedure. A study would later find that colonoscopies increased by 20 percent as a result of Katie airing her personal business on national television. It was called “The Couric Effect.” And it turns out, the Couric Effect is still rolling. “Using you as a model,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells Katie, “I’ve tried to really talk about this.” On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and the Minnesota Democrat talk about the Senator’s recent disclosure of her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and how it could have gone another way. “I should have gone in a year earlier.” They also talk about Capitol Hill, the Jan. 6 insurrection, what to do about Big Tech, and the outlook for 2024.Pre-order Katie Couric’s memoir, “Going There,” to learn more about her cancer advocacy, televised colonoscopy and so much more. To find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and to buy tickets go to ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie has another delightful excuse to talk to Stanley Tucci, this time about his memoir, “Taste: My Life Through Food.” They dive into the deep impact food has had on Stanley’s life and the bitter irony of his recent cancer diagnosis that very nearly killed his ability to eat. The conversation also gets very personal as the pair talk about their shared experience of losing their partners and co-parents to cancer and the loneliness of caring for a loved one who is dying. “If you give up what happens,” Stanley says. “What happens to the kids? What happens to the person who’s sick? You can’t. You have to keep trying.” But don’t worry, they end on a high note. Stanley reads a passage from his book and shares some of his culinary how-tos that will help you in the kitchen and at the dinner table. Pre-order Katie Couric’s memoir, “Going There” now to learn more about the most impactful news stories she covered as well as the making of her life and career. To find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and to buy tickets go to ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fall marks the 30th anniversary of the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and the testimony of Anita Hill. It was an historic moment and one that brought sexual harassment into the public consciousness and conversation. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie revisits that moment 30 years ago and what it was like to cover it as the newly minted co-anchor of the Today Show. She also sits down with Anita Hill to talk about her new book, “Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence,” and how far we have — and haven’t — come since Anita shared her story with the world and changed her life — and ours. Also, law professor and author Deborah Tuerkheimer and her new book, “Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers,” helps to put Anita Hill’s testimony — and the response to it — into context. Pre-order Katie Couric’s memoir, “Going There” now to learn more about the most impactful news stories she covered as well as the making of her life and career. To find out where Katie is stopping on her book tour and to buy tickets go to ticketmaster.com/goingthere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a big season for Next Question with Katie Couric because this fall Katie is going to dive into … Katie! With the release of her memoir, “Going There,” on Oct. 26, Next Question will be sharing exclusive podcast-only conversations between Katie and some of her closest friends, family and confidants. And in the lead up to the book’s publication, Katie will explore some of the biggest news stories — and the people behind them — that she has covered over the decades. This season will take fans and listeners behind the scenes of both the making of her memoir and the making of her extraordinary (and sometimes tumultuous) personal and professional life. So, come for Katie’s signature curiosity and no holds barred interviews, but stay for her own revealing answers. New season starts Sept. 30 and brand new episodes every Thursday. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It should have been our summer of joy but the pandemic rages on, surpassing a grave new milestone this month: more than 200 million global COVID cases. On this special bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie has a conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical officer to the president, about how we can push to the end of this collective nightmare. There’s a lot to catch up on: breakthrough COVID cases, vaccine mandates, booster shots, when and where you should be masking up, and the possibility of a variant worse than Delta (and what we can do about it). Katie and Dr. Fauci cover it all and get to all of your most pressing questions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharon Stone is known for portraying a certain type of brash, cunning villain, like Catharine Tramell in “Basic Instinct,” Lori Quad in “Total Recall,” or, more recently, Lenore Osgood in the Netflix series “Ratched.” In reality though, Sharon Stone is shy and introverted and, despite her fame, has led a very private life. But now, the actor is in the midst of a very public and personal re-examination of that life in her memoir, “The Beauty of Living Twice.” On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Sharon talk about the trauma she has endured, from being molested as a child, to the sexual harassment in Hollywood, to the stroke that nearly killed her in 2001 (and the interview Katie did with Sharon nearly 20 years ago). They also talk about the memoir writing process, life under the glare of the spotlight, and finding a new sisterhood — and inspiration — in the movie industry, post #MeToo. For more information about “The Beauty of Living Twice,” by Sharon Stone, or where to buy your copy go to Penguin Random House. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the course of her impressive career, Julianna Margulies has starred on some wildly popular television shows. She played Nurse Carol Haloway on the definitive medica drama, ER. She starred as the disgraced politician’s wife, Alicia Florrick, in The Good Wife. And coming this September she’ll be joining the stellar cast of “The Morning Show.” The award-winning actress, and producer, is going behind the scenes of some of those shows and taking a look at the impact of her nomadic childhood and upbringing in her memoir: “Sunshine Girl: An unexpected life.” On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Julianna dive into all of that — Julianna’s cross-continental childhood, her complicated hippie mom, the backlash she experienced leaving ER (and turning down a $27 million contract), why she just couldn’t shake Alicia Florrick and so much more. Find out more about Julianna’s memoir, “Sunshine Girl: An unexpected Life,” and where to get your copy at Penguin Random House.Katie and Julianna’s conversation was recorded by the Wilbur Theater in Boston, on behalf of Brookline Booksmith, as part of Julianna’s virtual book tour.And if you’re interested in seeing Katie when she goes on her book tour (“Going There” is out Oct. 26) you can go to Ticketmaster.com/goingthere to find out when and where she’s headed and get your tickets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Baldoni is a producer, director and actor who is probably best known for his long-running character on “Jane the Virgin.” Across the show’s five seasons, Justin played Rafael Solano, the sensitive, reformed playboy who fell in love with the titular Jane, a virgin. But the actor, whose acting work tends to embody a certain type of shirtless machismo masculinity, is on a new mission to help change the way men — and society — think about masculinity. It’s an idea he first explored on social media, and then in a Ted Talk in 2017, and then in a web series and now in a memoir-ish book called “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity.” On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Justin discuss the often toxic grip masculinity has on our society and what Justin thinks we can all do to change that. They also talk about Justin’s personal exploration — as a son, husband and father — of what it means to be a man. Find out more about “Man Enough” and where you can buy your copy at HarperCollins.Interested in seeing Katie when she goes on her “Going There” book tour this fall? Find out when and where she’s heading and get your tickets at Ticketmaster.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ursula Burns has had an impressive career that is often summarized by an historic achievement: that when she became the CEO of Xerox in 2009 she was the first every Black woman to head a Fortune 500 company. But there is so much more to Ursula’s career and life story, which is movingly detailed in her memoir, “Where You Are is Not Who You Are.” In it, Ursula gets very personal, sharing her childhood growing up in public housing in New York City, her Catholic-school days, her marriage, and, yes, her 30-year ascent to the tippy top of Xerox’s ladder. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Ursula talk about why writing that life journey was one of the most difficult things she has ever had to do, how she lead Xerox at a time when no one needed Xeroxing, and why we all need to continue to push the business world to diversify their ranks (and what corporations are missing out on if they don’t). You can find more about “Where You Are is Not Who You Are: A Memoir” and where you can buy your copy at HarperCollins.Interested in seeing Katie when she goes on her “Going There” book tour this fall? Find out when and where she’s heading and get your tickets at Ticketmaster.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March 2020, as COVID-19 started to grip the nation, fitness entrepreneur Amanda Kloots was settling into a new city (Los Angeles) with her husband Nick Cordero and their new baby. By July 2020, Amanda would become a very public COVID widow. Some of what happened to Amanda and Nick during those four months played out in incredibly personal posts and videos on Amanda’s Instagram feed. But there is so much more to Amanda’s pandemic story and the improbable death of her young, fit Broadway star husband who was just 41-years-old when he died from COVID-19 complications. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with Amanda about her new memoir, “Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero,” which Amanda wrote with the help of her sister Anna. Katie and Amanda talk about the writing process, about Nick and their marriage, about grieving live on Instagram and finding heartbreak and healing in a community of strangers. You can find out more about “Live Your Life” and find out where to buy your copy at HarperCollins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re going to have a summer series on memoirs, there is truly no better person to begin with than the boss of memoir herself, Mary Karr. In 1995, Mary Karr published her debut memoir, “The Liar’s Club,” an engrossing, tragicomic telling of her childhood in a poor, industrial East Texas town. “The Liar’s Club” took the publishing world by storm and inspired a wave of confessional memoirs. Mary then followed it up with “Cherry” in 2000 and “Lit” in 2009. She also wrote a how-to book about the genre called “The Art of Memoir” and is now working on her fourth memoir. In addition to her memoir career, Mary is also the author of five celebrated volumes of poetry and is a longtime professor of English at Syracuse University. And on this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Mary dive into it all: the writing process, books that impacted her life and career, her faith, aging gracefully (or not), even cherished Winnie-the-Pooh poems. It’s such a fun, hilarious and absorbing conversation and a real treat to kick off the summer. Enjoy and make sure to check out Mary Karr’s oeuvre. Links below. The Liar’s ClubCherryLitThe Art of Memoir Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s summer! And here on Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie’s celebrating the shortest season with a fun series on books! But not just any books — memoirs!. Katie just finished writing her own memoir (which comes out this October — stay tuned!), so she wanted to spend time with other people who have shared their stories and put themselves on the page. She has a huge range of guests from actors Sharon Stone and Justin Baldoni to business leaders and entrepreneurs like former Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, Sarah Jakes and Amanda Kloots, and the memoir boss herself, Mary Karr. There’s so much to discuss, too: the pain of writing, the revelations of looking back on your life, and the triumphs of TMI. New episodes start July 1. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Emmy season and on this bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie shares “The Handmaid's Tale” cast and creators panel she hosted for awards consideration. The dystopian Hulu drama just wrapped its dramatic, twist-heavy and pandemic-filmed fourth season, so be forewarned, there are spoilers ahead! There are so many talented people behind the ensemble show that the panel was split into two: the residents of Gilead and the refugees in Canada. The episode begins in Gilead with, in order of appearance, executive producer and showrunner Bruce Miller, Joseph Fiennes (Commander Fred Waterford), Yvonne Strahovski (Serena Joy Waterford), executive producer, director and star Elizabeth Moss (June Osborne/Offred/Ofjoseph), Madeline Brewer (Janine Lindo/Ofwarren/Ofhoward), Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia Clements), Bradley Whitford (Commander Joseph Lawrence), McKenna Grace (Esther Keyes), and Max Minghella (Commander Nick Blaine). In the second half of the episode, Katie talks with the refugees in Canada including executive producer Warren Littlefield, Bruce Miller, Elizabeth Moss, O.T. Fagbenle (Luke Bankole), Alexis Bledel (Dr. Emily Malek), Samira Wiley (Moira Strand), Sam Jaeger (Mark Tuello), and Amanda Brugel (Rita Blue). This interview was organized by Hulu for its Television Academy FYC event for The Handmaid’s Tale. We are sharing a lightly edited version of the conversation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this sponsored episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie sits down with Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, the executive vice president and chief patient officer of the biopharmaceutical company Merck. As a company with a long legacy of research in infectious disease, Merck has been in the thick of the COVID crisis, mobilizing its scientific expertise to help address the pandemic. Katie and Dr. Gerberding talk about the waning months of this historic pandemic, the lingering concerns about vaccinations and variants, COVID’s lasting impact on public health and how we can better prepare for emerging diseases. Merck is a partner of Katie Couric Media. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is one of the country’s leading anti-racist scholars. And, in fact, everything that Dr. Kendi does — as a professor, an author, a researcher, a podcast host, a human — attempts to reframe how we think about racism and how we fight it. In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with Dr. Kendi about his prolific anti-racism work, which encompasses his academic leadership and Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University, his multiple books, including “Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019,” which he co-edited with Keisha N. Blain, the forthcoming online publication he’s launching with the Boston Globe called “The Emancipator,” and his new podcast, “Be Antiracist,” coming out June 9. They also touch upon the solemn anniversary of George Floyd’s murder and how far we have and haven’t come in this year of racial reckoning, as well as why it’s so important to start anti-racist discussions early, and how his devastating 2018 cancer diagnosis propels him.Find out more about Dr. Kendi’s work: Books Podcast: Be Antiracist The Emancipator The Center for Antiracist Research Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacey Abrams is known for a lot of things — her voting rights work, for flipping Georgia blue in 2020, for not winning the state’s gubernatorial race in 2018. But in addition to her political and advocacy career, she’s also a prolific author. She has written eight unapologetically steamy romance novels, under the pen name Selena Montgomery. And this month, she’s releasing her ninth work of fiction — her first under her own name — a political action thriller called, While Justice Sleeps. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gets the chance to dive into the writerly side of Stacey Abrams to find out the inspiration for her books, how she builds characters and why she continues to write. But don’t you worry, Katie also asks Stacey to weigh in on the most pressing political issues, from growing concern over voting rights, party divisiveness, and the Supreme Court. This conversation was recorded as part of Stacey Abrams’ book tour, on a virtual stop at Powell Books in Seattle. Thank you to the Powell’s team for providing the audio for this exciting discussion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“This is never going to be on TV,” says Bowen Yang, reflecting on the now-viral Saturday Night Live sketch where he plays the iceberg that sank the Titanic. “It’s such a big swing.” It turns out, if anyone can knock an unexpected pitch out of the park, it’s the 30-year-old comedian who has quickly risen to fan-favorite in his short time on the show. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gets the full Bowen picture, digging into his cross-national childhood, understanding what it was like to come out to his parents, going behind the scenes of his SNL audition process and getting the anatomy of some of his favorite sketches. Katie and Bowen also talk about the cult-favorite podcast he co-hosts, “Las Culturistas,” and where the talented and endearing young star goes from here. If you weren’t smitten with Bowen Yang before, you will be after this podcast. Check out some of the Saturday Night Live sketches mentioned in the episode:Sara LeeThe Iceberg on the Sinking of the Titanic Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best-selling author Michael Lewis has a knack for extracting page-turning drama out of otherwise mundane and complicated subjects (hello, bond trading and baseball stats). Several of those books have been so good they’ve been turned into award-winning dramas starring half of Hollywood (hello, “The Big Short” and “Moneyball). And now, Lewis takes a crack at the pandemic realty still unfolding. His new book is called “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story.” In it, Lewis uses the first-hand accounts of three main characters to unravel the government’s gross mismanagement of the COVID response, which lead to nearly 600,000 deaths (among the world’s worst outcomes). On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Michael Lewis talk about the CDC’s shocking downfall, the gaping holes in the public health system and the secret group of doctors (the so-called “Wolverines) helping to single handedly patch that system together. We also get to hear from one of those doctors, Dr. Joe DeRisi, a biochemistry professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-president of the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie sits down with former Secretary of State, former Democratic nominee for president, former First Lady Hillary Clinton. The truly multi-hyphenate (did you know she’s also a podcast host?) advocate and author shares her thoughts on some of the issues that are top of mind right now, from the COVID vaccine and the potential for post-pandemic life, to the spread of disinformation and policing in America. But Katie and Hillary also spend time discussing their personal lives, the many and surprising ways they intersect, and why women continue to struggle for equality both at home and in the workplace. It’s a full and personal discussion that includes one story from early in Hillary’s career that even Katie hadn’t heard before. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a brutal year. Not only for the loss, heartache and isolation the pandemic has brought, but also the relentless and senseless violence, the mass shootings, and systemic racism at play all over America. Even as Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all accounts, on April 21, 2021, of murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis last May, a 16-year-old girl in Ohio was killed by police. “It’s a trauma,” President Biden said of all that had to occur to deliver the guilty verdict and such basic accountability. Which is why, this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric is dedicated to acknowledging the individual traumas and shared trauma of this year and learning how we can begin to heal.We’ll hear from three healing practitioners: Dr. James Gordon of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and author of “Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing,” Trina Greene Brown of the non-profit organization Parenting for Liberation, and Lisa Woolfork of Black Women Stitch and the Stitch, Please podcast. Learn practical tools for coming into balance, how to parent through racism, and how to claim your own space and center yourself and your soul. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This past (very long) year, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been immersed in all things COVID-19, as CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent reporting on the front lines of this novel virus. “All I think about is COVID,” he told Katie, “Viral transmission, how people evaluate risk, social behavior. There’s no part of our society that hasn’t been touched in some way.” But Sanjay is also a neuroscientist and in addition to his on-air work and a daily podcast (Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction), Sanjay has somehow found the time to write a new book called “Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age,” which is out now. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Sanjay talk about how to keep the brain healthy with tips you can use right now to protect and improve your brain. But Katie starts the conversation by asking the COVID about the status of the pandemic and if we’re truly out of the woods. Find out more from this episodeRead:Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age, by Dr. Sanjay GuptaWhy Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping, by Robert M. SapolskyiGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood — and What That Means for the Rest of Us, by Jean M. TwengeListen:Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction with Dr. Sanjay Gupta Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Oscars are on the horizon and though it’s been a strange year for the movie industry, the race for the golden statue is nothing short of historic. Notably, there is not one but two women nominated for best director: Emerald Fennell, for “Promising Young Woman,” starring Carrie Mulligan, and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland,” starring Frances McDormand. “Nomadland” was also written by Zhao who based her screenplay on the non-fictional book, “Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century,” by journalist Jessica Bruder. Frances McDormand’s Fern — a fictionalized amalgam of people in Bruder’s book — is a woman living out of her van, traveling the country working seasonal jobs and meeting a community of like-minded itinerant Americans along the way. On this special bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gets to go behind the scenes of this extraordinary, beautiful and strangely prescient film in a roundtable discussion with the director Chloé Zhao as well as three producers, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher and Dan Janvey. Stream “Nomadland” on Hulu. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a writer, speaker and author of two New York Times best-selling books, “I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual” and her latest, “Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighting Manual.” Luvvie’s books are part memoir, part manifestos that, like Luvvie herself, try to help the rest of us do better — for ourselves and for the people around us. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gives herself over to Luvvie’s wisdom and learns how to overcome confidence barriers, use fear for good, shed that pleaser instinct, embrace the brag, and loan courage whenever possible. Get your pad and pen, because your Luvvie lesson starts now! Learn more about the episode:Buy the “I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual”Buy “Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual”Watch Luvvie’s 2017 Ted Talk, “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathryn Hahn is an absolute scream, as you may have guessed from watching her in the hit Marvel TV show “WandaVision.” Or maybe you first took notice of her comedy chops in early aught blockbusters like “Step Brothers.” Or perhaps, you knew along given her propensity for all-too-relatable characters in indie films like “Private Life.” However you’ve come across Kathryn Hahn, there’s no denying the actor, at 47, has hit her stride. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie digs into Kathryn’s background to find out what makes her comedy’s secret weapon. They talk about her comedy role models, the unfortunate prosthetic pregnancy stage early in her career, and why the parts she’s earning now, at 47, are the best and most exciting of her career. Watch Kathryn on Wandavision on Disney+. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie dives into a subject very close to her heart: colon cancer awareness. After Katie’s first husband Jay died 23 years ago, she’s been a fierce advocate for early screening and regular colonoscopies — she even, you might recall, got one on live TV. There’s a reason Katie goes to such lengths: early screening saves lives. In this episode, we first hear from a stage 4 cancer fighter who is living that lesson. Then, Dr. Edith Mitchell of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, helps to answer the question, why are Black people, Black men in particular, so much more likely to get colon cancer and also die from it (hint: it’s systemic). Finally, Katie talks with oncologist Dr. Charlie Fuchs about the state of colon cancer detection and treatment today. LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: Visit Stand Up To Cancer, Katie’s cancer-fighting non-profit, for reliable resources and institutions.Take the pledge to get screened for colon cancerRead more about some of the health disparities Dr. Mitchell mentioned, here and here.Watch a video on understanding healthcare disparities in colorectal cancer.GUESTS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:Donna Otis, CCM, CCE Chief Executive/General Manager of the Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe, California.Dr. Edith Mitchell, MD, MACP, FCPP, FRCP, is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology and is Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine and Medical Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and Associate Director for Diversity Programs and Director of the Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University.Charles Fuchs, MD, MPH, Global Head of Hematology & Oncology, Product Development, Genentech. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twenty-six years ago, Kate Winslet sat down for her first nationally televised, American interview with none other than Katie Couric when she was co-host of the Today Show. Kate was promoting “Sense and Sensibility” and was a nervous wreck. “I was very self-conscious,” she reminisces with Katie. “I remember being physically and just very self conscious in those days.” Katie, who was pregnant at the time, admits to feeling endeared to the 20-year-old star, “It was one of my favorite interviews,” she tells Kate, “I felt very protective of you because you were so young.” In this new, wide sweeping interview, Katie and Kate reunite to talk about her pandemic life, her new murder mystery series on HBO, the delightful audio book she narrated, the upcoming Avatar films, and the toxic business of Hollywood, from Woody to Harvey, and what has and hasn’t changed. Find out more about:“The Weirdies,” an Audible Original written by New York Time Bestseller Michael Buckley and narrated by Kate WinsletMare of Easttown, coming to HBO on April 18, 2021 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don Lemon is busy! The CNN Tonight anchor has spent the year guiding and framing the public’s understanding of a deadly pandemic, George Floyd’s death, the presidential election, an insurrection. Somehow, amid all of that, he wrote a book, “This is The Fire: What I Say To My Friends About Racism.” On Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie and Don talk about his personal exploration through America’s racist past and becoming the nation’s moral compass as it reckoned with its racist’s present. To learn more, or purchase a copy of “This is the Fire: What I Say To My Friends About Racism,” go to Little Brown. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie chats to everyone’s favorite pandemic sauce man, Stanley Tucci. They talk about Stanley’s new travel/food series on CNN called “Searching for Italy,” as well as his new movie, “Supernova,” co-starring Colin Firth. They also talk about Stanley’s upcoming new book (“Taste: My Life Through Food”), the origin story of his foodie obsession, his enviable physique, and how those mixology videos on Instagram started. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic. And, after watching the slow tidal wave of infections, deaths, and fear consume most of Asia and Europe, Americans finally felt COVID’s impact at home. This totally unknown, novel virus took root, upending our lives. On this week’s episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, we recognize this sobering anniversary of a full year with the pandemic. Three Americans intimately involved with COVID-19 — an ER doctor, an epidemiologist, and a patient — share their experiences in those early, panic-stricken days and months of the spring 2020 to find out just how far we’ve come from and just how much we’ve learned about COVID-19, our healthcare system, science, and maybe even ourselves. Learn more about this week’s guests:Fiona Lowenstein, independent journalist and co-founder of the Body Politic Covid-19 support group. Dr. Jeremy Faust, emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard medical school faculty and editor in chief of Brief19.Dr. Keri Althoff, associate professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.Related links:Sign up for the Body Politic Covid-19 Support Group here.Body Politic Support Group shop.A guide to assessing the risks of re-opening activities amid the pandemic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey,” is the title of the very funny, if completely horrifying, new book by comedian and late-night host Amber Ruffin. The book, which Amber co-wrote with her sister Lacey Lamar, is a collection of essays about all the racist sh*t Lacey has to put up with as a Black woman living and working in Omaha, Nebraska. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with the sisters about growing up in Omaha, their different trajectories and experiences with racism and how humor can be used to expose and talk about the hard stuff. Katie also explores Amber’s career, her new show (The Amber Ruffin Show, on Peacock) and her incredible ability to skewer the kind of everyday racism she and her siblings have always put up with. And if you haven’t seen it already, go watch Amber make the case for a White History Month. Click here for more about the book, “You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism,” from Grand Central Publishing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the first episode of the new season of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie sits down with actor, director, activist Robin Wright who stars in and directs the new movie, Land. Robin plays Edee, a woman experiencing tremendous grief who decides to leave her life in the city to live in a cabin in the wilderness. “It’s about the existence you once knew, that you once lived in will never exist in the same way again,” she says, “and I just thought, wow, that’s something to explore.” And with 2021 already proving to be a standout year for women in film — with more women premiering at Sundance and more female directors nominated for Golden Globes — Robin addresses Hollywood’s glass ceiling and whether the cracks are finally making an impact on the industry. ‘Land’ is playing in select theaters now and will be available on PVOD March 5. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie shares a timely and important conversation with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. As a Republican leader in a predominantly blue state, Governor Hogan offers a valuable perspective on how to effectively bridge the partisan divide in our increasingly polarized country. In this wide-ranging interview, he talks with Katie about this unprecedented moment in our nation’s history, what it means to be a “common sense conservative,” and why he thinks we’re just at the beginning of a “long and difficult battle for the soul of the Republican party.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Question with Katie Couric is back with its third season! After taking some podcasting detours to help make sense of an unprecedented 12 months — from the outbreak of COVID-19, to America’s racial reckoning, to the presidential election — Katie returns to her intimate interview podcast with some new questions. Like, how do you create art when the world is burning? How can we heal through this trauma together? And how can we find and share joy. Join Katie as she sits down (virtually, of course) with actors, activists, scholars, and authors — people who will impress you, move you, and maybe even make you laugh … wouldn’t it be nice to laugh? It’s a whole new season: new guests, new topics, same curious Katie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Question with Katie Couric is gearing up for its third season, launching Feb. 25, 2021. In the meantime, Katie shares a really important and fascinating conversation she had this week. The 92nd Street Y invited Katie to moderate a talk with the founders of the Lincoln Project, the Super PAC started by former Republicans who wanted to defeat Donald Trump as well as hold accountable all those who violate their oath of the constitution regardless of party. Katie was joined remotely by former head of the New Hampshire Republican party Jennifer Horn and political strategists Reed Galen and Steve Schmidt. The conversation was recorded on Tuesday January 26. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This series began in the past, to better understand the origin and history of our ongoing fight for voting rights. And as Turnout comes to a close, we consider its future. Where do we go from here? What lessons can we take with us, and what impact might this election have on our ongoing push for a more inclusive democracy and a more perfect union. In this last episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, we hear from some of our previous guests — including Wendy Weiser, Gilda Daniels, and Tyler Okeke — about the biggest takeaways from the 2020 election and their impact on our democracy. But first, an interview with someone whose job it is to lay a civics foundation for the next generation of voters. Greg Cruey is a middle school social studies teacher in War, West Virginia — a one-time coal mining center that is now one of the poorest areas in the country. Because Mr. Cruey explains our voting system, our elections, and our democracy to his 6th, 7th, and 8th graders each year, we wanted to hear how he might put our 2020 experience into context.Read more about the people and organizations mentioned in this episode:What it’s like to teach children about the election, and its results, in deep-red Trump country, by Hanna Natanson (Washington Post)Wendy Weiser is the Vice President for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law SchoolGilda Daniels is an associate professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, as well as litigation director at Advancement Project national office and author of ‘Uncounted: The Crisis of Voter Suppression in America.’Tyler Okeke is a Vote at 16 Youth Organizer with Power California and a second-year student at the University of Chicago. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the last nine months, as the coronavirus swept across the world, devastating so many lives in its wake, scientists have been working around the clock to develop a safe and effective vaccine in record time. And now the results from all of that hard work are starting to come in and it’s good news. Like, really good news. On this bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with Dr. Stephen Hoge, a doctor, scientist and president of Moderna, one of the biotech firms leading the COVID-19 vaccine race. Moderna is remarkable in that it is, compared to the Pfizer behemoths of the world, a tiny biotech firm. But that hasn’t stopped it from cracking the vaccine code using a novel approach. In this wide-ranging interview, Katie and Dr. Hoge talk about the company, the pandemic, and the logistics of these vaccines — who gets them and when. Let’s call it, vaccines for dummies. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve no doubt heard that the 2020 election welcomed historic turnout. But what do those high numbers of voters mean for our democracy, for future elections, and for the warring political parties as they conduct their post-mortems? On this episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, we hear from a data journalist who is starting to comb through the numbers. Neal Rothschild, director of audience and political data reporter for Axios, shares the four big takeaways that help explain the 2020 election. Then, Katie talks with her friend, the best-selling author Mitch Albom about the state of our divisiveness, the media’s problem, how we can find ways to reconnect and start to move forward as a country together. More about the episodes and guests featured in this episode:Four demographic trends that explain Biden’s victory (Axios)Read more from Neal Rothschild or find him on TwitterMitch Albom: The election will be meaningless if we don’t change our ways (Detroit Free Press)Find more about Mitch Albom’s books at his website. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes are on Georgia this week as it wraps up its manual recount of nearly 5 million ballots. On Friday, November 13, when the recount began, several news outlets had declared Joe Biden the state’s winner. If that still holds when the recount is complete, Biden will be the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since 1992. If that weren’t enough, control of the Senate now hinges on two critical Georgia runoff elections, which will happen in early January 2021. At the center of this national political storm is Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. On this episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, an interview with the secretary, who gives us a peek behind the recount curtain, and talks about the high-pressure stakes of being the Republican in charge of President Trump’s recount: tweets, calls for resignation, and, yes, even death threats. For Brad Raffensperger, it’s all in a day’s work. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, Katie shares her hopes and the need for open-mindedness as the country welcomes in the next administration. Then, we check in with some of our previous guests to get a temperature check on the country’s democracy now that the 2020 pandemic election is (almost) behind us. Jesse Littlewood from Common Cause shares his takeaways from the election, what the big turnout means for future races, and the new potential obstacles to voter access his organization is already watching and preparing to fight down the road. Finally, we check in with Annette Scott, a volunteer from the League of Women Voters, who is also a dedicated poll worker, on how Election Day went for her in New Jersey.More about the topics and guests featured in this episode:Read: I Gave Donald Trump a Chance After He Was Elected. The President’s Supporters Should Do the Same for Joe Biden Now (TIME)Jesse Littlewood is the vice president for campaigns at Common Cause, a democracy and voting rights watchdog group.Annette Scott, a volunteer with The League of Women Voters, working primarily with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation leading voter registration education. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are finally on the other side of the 2020 presidential election and it was — as promised — unprecedented. And a big part of that is because of you! Voters from all over the country came out (and mailed in ballots) in record numbers. 2020 is projected to have the highest turnout rate of eligible voters in more than a century. In this episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, we’ll hear some of your voting stories, which capture a moment in history that will be analyzed for years to come. Then, Katie shares her conversation with political consultant Brian Goldsmith, which took place on Instagram Live starting at 6 pm EST on Nov. 6. And while the news over the next few days may change in big and small ways, Brain and Katie help put this week and the weight of what happened into context. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's election week! And in this special bonus issue of Turnout, Katie Couric talks with New York Times columnist David Brooks about the moment when we fell through the floor of decency and what America has lost these last four years. David also shares what's at stake on Nov. 3, why this is another moment of moral convulsion for the country and how we can mend our extreme political divides. Read more about this episode:Op-Ed: Trump's presidency Smashed the 'Decency Floor'The New York Times' opinion collection, ‘What Have We Lost'Weave, the Social Fabric Project from the Aspen Institute Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve always said that this series was about so much more than this election. As we’ve shown in the first four episodes, the voting issues of our past — and how we respond to them — pave the way forward, shaping future elections, including the history-making moment we are living in today. But now that we’re face-to-face with the 2020 presidential race, it’s time to start diving into it. On this episode of Turnout with Katie Couric, Katie sorts through some of the week’s big election stories. Then, an interview with newly retired top GOP election lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg about his blunt and public rebuke of President Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud. Ginsberg talks about the inherent difference between Republican and Democratic election policy, the impact of the 2000 Florida recount, and why Democrats’ worst fears about what could happen after November 3 may be unfounded. Read Benjamin Ginsberg’s Washington Post op-eds:Republicans have insufficient evidence to call elections ‘rigged’ and ‘fraudulent’How Trump’s evidence-free attacks on elections damage the Republican partyStream Recount on Amazon Prime, HBO Max, or HULU. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Turnout with Katie Couric: the power and drive of youth activism. First, 19-year-old youth activist Tyler Okeke makes the case for lowering the voting age to 16. Then, Katie talks with activist, author and podcast host DeRay Mckesson on his own youth activism and how to get this new protest generation to turnout for elections (hint: make voting easier!). We also hear advice from civil rights activists on where they find inspiration and why it’s important to keep paving the way, to make the world better and easier, for those who come after you.More about the guests and organizations mentioned in this episode:Courtland Cox, activist and veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating CommitteeTyler Okeke, Vote at 16 Youth Organizer for Power CaliforniaDeRay McKesson, activist, author of the book, “On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope,” and host of the podcast “Pod Save the People” from Crooked MediaRock The Vote, youth empowerment organizationJudy Richardson, documentary filmmaker and veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.