Next Question with Katie Couric

Katie sits down with David Frum, Atlantic writer and host of an eponymous podcast, to take stock of a dizzying news cycle: a government shutdown framed around false claims about healthcare for immigrants, a surreal Quantico meeting where military leaders were treated as political props, and Donald Trump’s vow to punish his opponents through prosecutions. Frum explains how the U.S. budgeting system turned into a "failure machine,” what’s happening to Supreme Court neutrality, and what it means when Trump spreads vulgar AI videos of his opponents. Frum’s bottom line? This might be a fire hose of news, but it's our duty as citizens to keep up, not tune out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone finishes a cancer treatment, it can feel like the end of the story. For many, it may just be the beginning–risk of recurrence looms, long-term medications (and their side effects) begin, and it’s hard to get your bearings. What do you really need to know? In this candid conversation, Katie sits down with Dr. Lillian Smyth, Senior Vice President and Global Development Head for Breast Cancer at Eli Lilly and Company, and LaShae Rolle, a breast cancer survivor, public health researcher, and powerlifter. Together, they explore what life after breast cancer treatment really looks like: from follow-up care and managing side effects to navigating fears about recurrence and finding strength in advocacy. This episode—created in partnership with Eli Lilly—is about more than medicine. It’s about empowerment: knowing your “normal,” asking the right questions, and embracing life following cancer treatment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The murder of George Floyd and the protests of 2020 sparked a nationwide movement for racial justice and reckoning. Just a few years later, many of those hard-won conversations are being rolled back. Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, joins Katie to ask: is the movement truly over, or are we now in the midst of the harder, but essential, struggle to make it endure? He shares why learning is itself an act of resistance, what each of us can do to push back against false narratives, and how history can inspire courage for the battles ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, Emma Heming Willis’s life changed overnight. In this intimate conversation, she tells Katie about the early whispers of the disease, why getting a diagnosis was both a blessing and a curse, and how she’s helping their two young daughters navigate this “long goodbye.” Emma opens up about the guilt of taking a family trip without Bruce, the stigma caregivers face when making impossible decisions, and why she believes asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Along the way, she shares lessons from her new book The Unexpected Journey—practical tools, expert insights, and the emotional wisdom she wishes she’d had in the early days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The headlines aren’t slowing down. Politics is a firehose, and most days it feels like we’re drinking straight from it. This season on Next Question, we’re turning velocity into clarity. Each episode breaks down the headline overload so we can process–and commiserate–together. You’ll hear from people who actually know: reporters on the ground, legal scholars, policy pros, and bold faced names, so you get context, not chaos. No outrage Olympics. No performative punditry. Just news separated from the noise, with a little humanity, and even humor along the way. Listen to Season 12 of Next Question with Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

End your summer with the most fun you’ll have on a podcast! Impressionist and comedian Matt Friend joins Katie for a star-studded tour of celebrity voices from Hollywood to the White House, from Barack Obama to Timothee Chalamet to Jennifer Coolidge. There’s even some singing! And, yes, he does his Trump impression–which is so good it might make you squirm. In between it all Matt shares what it’s been like to break out online during the pandemic, and end up taking the stage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. It’s a trip! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Dr. Geoffrey Hinton left Google in 2023, it wasn’t because he’d lost faith in AI. It was because he wanted to speak freely about its dangers (and because, at 75, he says programming is “annoying”). The Nobel laureate joins Katie to unpack some of the riskiest aspects of this new technology: why government regulation lags behind innovation; why jobs are at risk and whether countries can work together to prevent an AI arms race. . But Hinton also sees a path forward: if we design AI that genuinely supports and protects humanity, coexistence might be possible. This episode wrestles with the urgent question on everyone’s mind: will AI’s breathtaking potential transform our lives or threaten our very survival? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s no secret that our lifespans – especially women’s – have drastically increased over the last several decades, but what about healthspans? How can we make those additional years healthier and happier? Speaking live at City Winery in NYC, join Katie and Dr. Krys Araujo-Torres, Head of U.S. Medical Affairs for Nature's Bounty, as they dig into the simple, effective steps we can take to live our best lives. #ad See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello, Katie Couric Fans! We want to share a new show you might like, Latino USA. About the show: Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S. centering Latino stories, hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa Every week, the Peabody winning team brings you revealing, in-depth stories about what’s in the hearts and minds of Latinos and their impact on the world. Listen here and subscribe to Latino USA on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Gates has worked at the highest levels of government, across eight presidential administrations, earning a reputation for pragmatism and integrity that feels increasingly rare in today’s political climate. In this thoughtful conversation with Katie, the former Defense Secretary reflects on the global crises now testing U.S. leadership—from the war in Ukraine to rising threats in the Middle East—and explains why diplomacy, consistency, and bipartisan cooperation are more essential than ever. As America grapples with a fractured political identity, Gates makes a compelling case for restoring experience and long-term thinking to our foreign policy playbook. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caitlin Clark is electrifying crowds and breaking records—and igniting a complicated national conversation. Christine Brennan joins Katie to dissect the making of a sports icon, the WNBA’s missed opportunities, and the fraught media narratives surrounding Clark, Angel Reese, and race. It’s the subject of Brennan’s new book, On Her Game, and one of the most urgent stories in sports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world flooded with information about women’s health - from TikTok trends to wellness influencers - separating fact from fiction has never been more challenging. This candid conversation between Katie Couric and gynecologist Dr. Karen Tang tackles the most persistent myths and misinformation surrounding women's health, with special focus on menstruation and incontinence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie heads to Capitol Hill for an in-person conversation with Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. In this unflinching interview, Murkowski reflects on her high-stakes political journey, her defiance of party pressure, and her growing alarm over the threats facing American democracy. Drawing from her new memoir Far From Home, she opens up about the personal toll of standing alone and why, in this moment, staying grounded has never been harder—or more critical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett is having a moment. The rising Democratic star sits down with Katie for a candid, no-holds-barred conversation about what drives her, what frustrates her, and why she refuses to play by the old political rules. From her viral moments on Capitol Hill to the serious challenges facing democracy, Crockett shares what’s on her mind and why this moment demands leaders who won’t back down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eric Holder, AG under Obama from 2009 - 2015, has spent most of his life inside the Department of Justice. Now, he’s watching it unravel. He joins Katie to explain how the Trump administration is hollowing out institutions, targeting critics, and eroding democratic norms. He shares what it’s like to see the agency he loves weaponized—and why he believes citizen power, media courage, and legal resistance are more important than ever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a decade ago, Katie asked a question she now regrets—one that sparked a meeting with her guest today, Laverne Cox. In this deeply personal conversation, the two revisit that moment and the friendship that grew from it. Laverne shares why she believes transformation is still possible–even under the Trump administration—if we’re willing to be uncomfortable and to listen. They also tackle the rising wave of anti-trans legislation, the right-wing propaganda machine, and how fascism takes root. It’s part masterclass, part catch-up, and a powerful reminder that teachable moments can change more than one life—they can change the culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world that rewards power grabs, Jacinda Ardern chose a different path. The former prime minister of New Zealand, who led her country through the Christchurch massacre and COVID, talks with Katie about leading through heartbreak and crisis, why kindness isn’t weakness, and the courage it takes to step away from power. It’s all detailed in her new book A Different Kind of Power and the behind-the-scenes doc Prime Minister, out June 13. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He grew up in a Fox News household and once campaigned for Trump. But today, Aaron Parnas is a rising progressive voice with millions of followers—and no patience for the media status quo. In this conversation with Katie Couric, he shares how his worldview changed, and why he’s using TikTok and Substack to rewire how we consume the news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie traveled to Washington, D.C. to sit down with Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson for a candid conversation about their book Original Sin—an investigation into how President Biden’s decline was hidden from voters, colleagues, and even some members of the press. As questions swirl in the wake of his cancer diagnosis, their reporting offers critical insight into just how long this story has been building. They discuss the blind spots that shaped media coverage, the role of Biden’s inner circle, and how silence and loyalty collided in the final year of his presidency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They weren’t political operatives—they were a civil rights lawyer, a digital editor, and a marketing guy. But in the chaos of the Trump era, the Meiselas Brothers felt compelled to act. In their first in-person interview all together, Katie gets the behind-the-scenes story of how a pandemic group chat turned into the ascendent progressive MeidasTouch Network, and why truth, clarity, and community—not partisanship—are at the heart of what they do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.