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PODCAST

The Assignment with Audie Cornish

Every Thursday on The Assignment, host Audie Cornish explores the animating forces of this extraordinary American political moment. It’s not about the horse race, it’s about the larger cultural ideas driving the conversation: the role of online influencers on the electorate, the intersection of pop culture and politics, and discussions with primary voices and thinkers who are shaping the political conversation.

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All Episodes

31:52

Ramy Youssef Wants Everyone to Laugh

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/04/23

Ramy Youssef has spent the past decade building a career that spans TV, stand-up, film and has even landed some big awards. Now, with the release of his third comedy special, In Love, he joins Audie to reflect on what it means to tell Arab American stories today vs seven years ago and why aiming to make everyone laugh is both a choice and a challenge.Then, Audie’s longtime friend and soon-to-be-coworker Ari Shapiro stops by to talk about Ramy— and also what's ahead for The

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25:06

Tell Me How to Feel About Space

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/04/16

Artemis II returns from its historic mission to the far side of the moon, inspiring millions during an otherwise tense news cycle. Astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi joins Audie to unpack the mix of awe, hope, and unease shaping this new era of space exploration. Oluseyi is the author of ‘Why Do We Exist? The Nine Realms of Universe that Make You Possible.’ Producers: Lori Galarreta, Jesse Remedios, Graelyn Brashear Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your

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25:47

Is the Manosphere Finally Collapsing?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/04/09

The manosphere isn’t fringe anymore. It’s mainstream, political and hard to ignore. Louis Theroux’s latest Netflix documentary “Inside the Manosphere” arrives after a decade-long rise, from the gamergate controversy to personas like Andrew Tate. Audie speaks with New York Times Opinion writer Jessica Grose, who’s followed the movement since its beginning. They explore the state of the manosphere, the downfall of “alpha-male influencers” and how women fit —or don’t— into this

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27:17

Astrology Isn’t Just a Vibe, It’s a Booming Industry

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/04/02

From birth charts to astrology apps, we have an enduring fascination with what the stars can tell us. Audie sits down with Astrologers Jennifer Freed and Chani Nicholas to talk about why this obsession has turned into big business. And, what we’re really looking for when we look up.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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37:08

When the Bookie Is in Your Pocket

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/03/26

One man’s journey from suburban dad to self-described “degenerate gambler.” The Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins joins Audie to recount how he spent $10,000 of his employer’s money betting on the NFL over the course of a season. They discuss how online sports gambling reshaped his habits, what it reveals about a rapidly expanding industry, and how betting has seeped into everyday culture. Plus, the manosphere of it all.Producers: Jesse Remedios & Lori Galarreta Senior Producer: Matt

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30:25

From JFK to RFK Jr.: How the Kennedys Track American...

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/03/19

From Camelot-era glamour to RFK Jr.’s viral moments, the Kennedys have a way of reflecting the cultural mood of any given time. That pattern is resurfacing again—with a buzzy FX series on JFK Jr. and a fresh wave of online fascination. Audie Cornish sits down with comedian and The United States of Kennedy co-host George Civeris to unpack how the family evolved from political dynasty into cultural barometer—and what their latest chapter reveals about where America is right now.Produced by Jesse

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30:32

Oscars 2026: Chalamet, Sinners ... and Our Predictions

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/03/12

This year’s Oscars race has been great for film and weird for discourse. There’s the friendly Best Picture duel between two crowd-pleasing films from the same studio. The acting categories are stacked with talent. And yet the final week of campaigning has been dominated by talk about Timothée Chalamet’s apparent disrespect to opera and ballet. Audie sits down with film critic and influencer Megan Cruz (aka @j.stoobs) to talk about the biggest night in movies at a moment when Hollywood is worried

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28:51

Why Work Spouses Can Be a Secret Weapon | Engagement...

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/03/05

Are work spouses actually a thing? And what turns a desk-mate into a ride-or-die? In this special episode of The Assignment, Audie Cornish reunites with former work husband and longtime co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro. They dive into the stories that defined their careers, the push and pull of competition in the newsroom, and the ways creative collaborators develop shared languages—from Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Taped live at On Air Fest

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30:19

Ken Leung on Playing One of TV’s Most Toxic Bosses

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/02/26

Actor Ken Leung is no stranger to the toxic male archetype. He embodies it as Eric Tao, the ruthless baseball-bat-carrying trading floor bully he plays on HBO’s “Industry.” Leung talks with Audie about what pushes characters like Eric—on screen and in real life—over the edge from family man to a name you could see in the Epstein files. They also discuss why women of color don’t get the “anti-hero” treatment, and how “Industry” has evolved into a portrait of the greed, corruption, and class conflict

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28:48

Behind the Sex Scenes...with an Intimacy Coordinator

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/02/19

Let’s talk about professional sex. Audie sits down with Yehuda Duenyas, a SAG-AFTRA Hollywood intimacy coordinator, to go behind the scenes of how physical romance is choreographed, why stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sean Bean are skeptical of the position, and what depictions of sex on screen reveal about our culture.-- This episode was produced by Sofía Sanchez. Senior Producer: Matt Martinez Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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25:29

Did Bad Bunny Win the Culture War?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/02/12

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show is still resonating as fans celebrate his history-making rise from Puerto Rico to global dominance. Audie is joined by journalist Suzy Exposito to talk about the power of Benito's unique brand of authenticity--and how he's wielding it in the culture war. Exposito has covered Bad Bunny from the beginning. She is an editor at De Los, the Latin culture wing of the LA Times. -- This episode was produced by Sofía Sanchez. Senior Producer: Matt Martinez

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26:17

It’s Super Bowl Season... for Fashion

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/02/05

The fashion season is officially underway. Celebrities are strolling the award show red carpets and models are strutting the runways in Paris and Milan. CNN Senior Style Reporter Rachel Tashjian joins Audie to talk about the complicated politics in the fashion world, fashion vs style, and which designers are getting the most notice for dressing celebrities.Producer: Lori Galarreta Senior Producer: Matt Martinez Techincal Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about

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26:34

The Millennial Internet, from Buzzfeed Quizzes to...

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/29

This year marks a milestone for Millennials: the youngest of the cohort finally turns 30. So what comes next for the first generation of true digital natives now that they have achieved “unc” status? Audie talks with Sam Sanders, host of KCRW’s The Sam Sanders Show, about the generation that watched media transform from Buzzfeed quizzes into AI slop. They also discuss Millennial activism taking over the generation’s Instagram feed as ICE protests continue in Minneapolis. Learn more about your ad

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22:05

Is the U.S. the Villain of the Winter Olympics?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/22

The Winter Olympics kick off Feb. 6 in Northern Italy—and the politics may steal the show. The U.S. may face boos, especially as it squares off with Denmark in hockey amid Trump’s Greenland threats. But there’s joy, too: Lindsey Vonn is back, and the U.S. figure skating team is stacked. New York Magazine’s Will Leitch breaks down the geopolitics and must-watch storylines from Milan and Cortina.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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26:56

Breaking Down the ‘Heated Rivalry’ Fame Machine, and...

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/17

Audie is joined by longtime friend and former NPR colleague Ari Shapiro for a special episode they’re calling Engagement Party – a chance to finally talk on-mic about the culture stories they’ve been obsessing over. They kick things off with the question of the moment: Can the Heated Rivalry boys, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, turn their meteoric rise into lasting careers like other breakout stars from the past? They also unpack why the internet has committed to “frictionmaxxing” in 2026, quiz

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24:01

The Real Pain Behind That “Toxic Moms” Essay

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/15

Arguably the first viral moment of 2026 is an essay about a “toxic” group of mom friends. Actor and singer Ashley Tisdale French wrote an essay for New York Magazine’s The Cut about being iced out of her circle of fellow moms and – celebrity intrigue aside – it struck a nerve. Dr. Noelle Santorelli is a mom and a clinical psychologist who tells Audie there’s deep suffering wrapped up in establishing community around your family. She and Audie discuss the vulnerability of needing support, making

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24:51

All the Things We’re Saying About Heated Rivalry

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/08

It may be a new year, but one of 2025's most unexpected hits isn’t done with us yet. Heated Rivalry, the TV adaptation of a spicy romance novel about two hockey players, has turned two unknown actors into overnight stars and sparked outsized conversations about sex on screen, queer representation, and masculinity in sports. Writer and culture critic Ira Madison III joins Audie to talk about how a low-budget Canadian series became a cultural flashpoint—and what its popularity reveals about the

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35:11

The Year in News: Deepfakes, MAHA & AI

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2026/01/01

After a head-spinning year in the worlds of health and technology, Audie invited Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the host of Chasing Life, and Clare Duffy from Terms of Service, to break down the stories that ended up on all their podcasts this year.Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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23:41

How Politics are Driving Families Apart

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/12/18

As families gather for the holidays and political differences resurface, we revisit Audie's conversation with psychologist Joshua Coleman, who breaks down why partisan divides are driving family estrangement, how generational dynamics intensify the conflict, and what it looks like to navigate, or repair, these fractures from either side.-- This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta. Senior Producer: Matt Martinez Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn

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20:39

The Year in Pop Culture: AI, Gay Hockey, and Rage Bait

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/12/11

What was this year in pop culture like? A scrappy Canadian gay hockey romance becomes the internet’s obsession while big-budget, star-packed shows are dwindling. AI rage-bait memes (some from government accounts) keep hijacking the national conversation. These are just some of the pop culture moments that defined 2025. Audie and New York Magazine staff writer Rebecca Alter break it down. -- This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson. Senior Producer: Matt Martinez Technical Director:

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138 results

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