Next Question with Katie Couric

It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since John F Kennedy Jr, his wife Carolyn Bessette, and her sister Lauren Bessette, died in a plane crash. On July 16, 1999, the plane, piloted by John, went down off  the coast of Massachusetts–shocking the world. Just a few months prior, Katie sat down with John for what would be his last television interview. Now, for a special two-part remembrance, she reflects back on that fleeting moment in time when John and Carolyn captivated the public’s imagination and talks to the authors of two new books about them, contemplating their scrutinized lives, their fierce love, and their enduring legacy.

 

Today we bring you companion episodes remembering John and Carolyn, as well as Lauren–their scrutinized lives, their fierce love, and their enduring legacy.

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In 2020, Joe Biden stood on stage with Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and our guest today, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer,  and declared himself a “bridge” candidate, hinting at a single term. Now, as he runs for reelection amid heavy scrutiny, the low rumble of approval that has met Whitmer’s term at Michigan’s helm has amplified into a clamor by some for her to step into a larger leadership role in the future Democratic party. Sitting down with Next Question during the Aspen Ideas Festival, Whitmer discussed her role in preserving abortion rights in Michigan and managing the state during COVID-19, among other accomplishments–all of which she did while fielding truly terrifying personal attacks and a kidnapping plot from the MAGA right wing. Gretchen for President? Maybe someday. But here today, her resilience and focus on key issues position her as a prominent future Democratic leader who inspires! 

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Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor, co-hosts of Pod Save America and founders of Crooked Media, remember when politics felt hopeful. Their latest venture, after working for Obama, starting Crooked Media, and launching a slew of great ventures and podcasts, is a user's guide to American government: Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps. They are some of the most informed, level-headed, and hilarious political voices around, and their book is the antidote to feeling stressed out, beat down, and powerless over politics. You certainly don’t have to be a political junky to appreciate that!

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Seven years ago, Brian Wallch was diagnosed with ALS at just 37 years old. He and his wife, Sandra, found out on the day they brought their second daughter home from the hospital. Instead of passively accepting this new reality, the two decided to spearhead a patient driven movement. For Love and Life: No Ordinary Campaign is a new documentary on Amazon Prime, executive produced by Katie, that chronicles their love story, their demand to accelerate the rate of research, and their efforts to change legislation. Today on the podcast, we have a conversation with Brian, Sandra, Jeff MacGregor and Tim Rummel--two of the film's producers, and director Chris Burke. It is an episode you won't want to miss!

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Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler have been stars for decades–who can forget their turns in Anchorman and The Sopranos respectively?--but they share a sisterhood with each other: they’ve both been diagnosed with MS. Their podcast MeSsy is all about supporting each other and listeners through whatever curveballs life throws their way, and Katie was delighted to sit down on the interviewee side of the desk to discuss her activism around raising awareness for cancer–and also have some fun. From moving moments at Stand Up to Cancer benefits to stripper names and that one word everyone misuses this interview will have you in stitches.

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You know Renée Fleming as one of the most famous and beloved sopranos in history. You may not know that Renée struggled mightily with stage fright for most of her career. Her experiences sparked a passionate interest in brain science, and she found a kindred spirit in Dr Francis Collins, former NIH director and fellow musician. This unlikely duo is working together to bring attention and much needed funding to the healing power of sound for ailments ranging from Alzheimer’s to chronic pain. A world with less pharmaceutical intervention and more singing, dancing, and community? We’re in.

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Patric Gagne is a sociopath–as are 5% of the population generally. Growing up, she reports she “mostly felt nothing.” When she was diagnosed in her early adulthood, she finally understood why she experienced life so differently than those around her. She got her PhD in Psychology and wrote her memoir, Sociopath to demystify disorders like psychopathy and sociopathy. 

 

Gagne doesn’t hold back, sharing with us what it feels like to be a sociopath and what neurotypical people so often get wrong about these disorders. It's not every day we get to hear about sociopathy from someone who lives it, so settle in for an extended episode and a conversation like no other.

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Katie sat down with eminent journalist Frank Bruni in this spirited live conversation hosted by Temple Emanu-el’s Streicker Cultural Center earlier this month. While their jumping off point was Frank’s new book, The Age of Grievance, Katie and Frank covered a lot of ground: the current climate on college campuses, political violence, and the corrosive nature of cancel culture. Frank centers today’s events in a longer historical context that lends a surprising note of optimism.

 

Calling our current moment an “Age of Grievance” may seem almost too polite, given the coarsening of public discourse and the curated, angry echo chambers many of us find ourselves in. But Bruni wants us to remember that grievance used to be a constructive American virtue. Grievance gave us the Revolutionary War (the word grievance appears in the first amendment after all!) and many civil rights movements. These high points in our history can still guide us today.

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How do you bring your personal values to your public life? This question has animated Jim VandeHei’s and Mike Allen’s long career together; first at Politico and then as they went on to launch Axios. It’s not an easy feat to pull off. Jim’s new book, Just the Good Stuff: No-BS Secrets to Success (No Matter What Life Throws at You) explains how they did it–and all the mistakes, triumphs, and unexpected breakthroughs along the way. 

 

In this wide-ranging interview, Katie, Jim and Mike talk about media past, present, and future, Trump and the election, and the future of AI. You’ve heard interviews about all of these things before, of course. But in this extended episode these three keen observers get to dive deeper than usual. The rare space for this added depth brings us to very universal and human questions: amidst all the noise politically, culturally, and digitally, what can we control? Only ourselves. This conversation ponders how we can act individually in a way that leads to more freedom, more transparency, and more opportunity for more people.

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You’ve probably heard the name Sophie Trudeau, best known as the glamorous wife of Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada. But Sophie is a whole lot more than that. In her new book, Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other, she candidly shares a lot about her life and struggles. But Sophie has also incorporated the best science and interviewed the leading researchers about how our brain handles life’s biggest challenges–her book tackles everything from mindfulness to the function of the vagus nerve. Her endless hope and practical approach to knowing ourselves is an invitation to curiosity, progress, and inner peace.

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