Searching for America with Robyn Curnow

By Robyn Curnow, Bleav

Why is America the way it is?

That's the question we seek to answer in Searching for America, hosted by award-winning foreign correspondent, Robyn Curnow.

As a South African living in Atlanta, Geo... more

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FAQs about Searching for America with Robyn Curnow:

How many episodes does Searching for America with Robyn Curnow have?

The podcast currently has 63 episodes available.

Searching for America with Robyn Curnow episodes:

November 17, 2025Will Artificial Intelligence Kill Journalism?
Journalists have survived every major technological shift, but AI presents a new kind of challenge. Robyn Curnow walks through the excitement, disruption, and uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence in today’s newsrooms. She reflects on her early days as a reporter, the rapid advance of generative systems, and why the fundamentals still hold.
What we cover
How AI is transforming newsrooms and accelerating job losses
Why images, audio, and video can no longer be taken at face value
The deeper philosophical question: what happens to truth
Lessons from the printing press and historic disruptions
Why the core questions of journalism still matter
The Mandela interview that AI could never replicate
The irreplaceable value of presence, empathy, and lived experience
Why the future belongs to reporters who double down on connection, verification, and authenticity
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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11min
November 10, 2025Can Dolly Parton save America?
Dolly Parton is one of the few figures in American life who transcends politics, culture, and class.
In this episode, I ask why.
How does a woman with big wigs, big hair, and an even bigger heart manage to be loved by everyone from evangelical Republicans to progressive feminists?
We travel to Tennessee to find out. Along the way, we explore Dolly’s genius for what her team calls “Dollitics”—a refusal to play partisan games while living out universal values of compassion, humor, and hard work. F
rom her philanthropy to her music to Dollywood itself, she reflects the best of America: faith, grit, generosity, and joy.
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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10min
November 04, 2025Angertainment: How I Escaped the Business of Outrage
Why does it feel like the news wants us angry?
In this week’s Searching for America, I dig into what I call “angertainment” — the weaponization of news into a cycle of outrage and division. I spent more than twenty years inside the global media machine, from CNN to the BBC, and I’ve watched how fear and fury turned into a profitable formula.
In this episode, I talk about how I reached my breaking point, why I turned off cable news for good, and how I’ve started to rethink what it means to stay informed without being consumed.
Searching for America is my outsider’s field guide to the United States — one story at a time.

Searching for America is produced by Jonathan Warncke, and recorded in Atlanta, USA.
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
10min
October 29, 2025Halloween and the American Psyche
Why do Americans spend more on Halloween than some countries do on their national defense? Robyn Curnow explores the cultural, economic, and emotional significance of Halloween in the United States. From inflatable unicorns to spooky dog costumes, this episode reflects on what America’s love for Halloween reveals about its people, priorities, and longing for community.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Opening question: Why is Halloween spending so huge in the U.S.?
00:30 – Personal observations of Halloween in the Deep South
01:20 – Seasonal context: Fall as a lead-in to a trio of holidays
01:50 – Shocking stats: $13 billion Halloween spend vs Nordic defense budgets
02:00 – Costume culture and kids’ (and pets’) fashion obsessions
03:30 – Competitive house decorations and posh pumpkins
04:20 – Candy inflation and the politics of mass consumption
05:00 – Halloween as an inelastic good: people buy it no matter what
06:00 – Escapism and communal joy in an often isolated America
07:00 – A nostalgic nod to community and simpler times
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
8min
July 02, 2025Happiest Place in the World | Robyn Curnow
The American Dream is about working hard and being rewarded. In Denmark, the dream is more about contentment and consistency than bigger and better. Robyn Curnow has been visiting Denmark the past few weeks and she reflects on what makes Danes, and her Danish husband, 'happier' than most.
New! Substack!
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http://www.x.com/robyncurnow
http://www.searchingforamericapod.com
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
13min
June 17, 2025Politically Homeless in the U.S.A | Robyn Curnow
Many Americans are politically homeless, says Robyn Curnow. The loudness and anger of the extremes leaves many decent Americans left out of the national conversation.
The political and media machine reinforce left and right position, staking a claim to one view.
So what does being politically homeless look like in America right now? Robyn Curnow thinks it's a bit like being one of those wandering souls of unbaptized babies in medieval Europe trapped in a centrist purgatory.
Can you be an independent or centrist in Trumpian Times? Can this podcast be a success if a position is not staked?
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
http://www.youtube.com/searchingforamericapodcast.com
http://www.x.com/robyncurnow
http://www.searchingforamericapod.com
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
12min
June 10, 2025How Biden gave Trump the White House | Robyn Curnow
Who's blame for Donald Trump being President again? One simple answer. Joe Biden. Robyn Curnow has interviewed a US Presidents, a First Lady and been in the Rose Garden at the White House during press conferences.
The recent exposes on the coverups over Joe Biden's health tell her one thing .. the Biden administration handed Donald Trump a big beautiful second term when they lied about the President's capacity.
Many Americans and people around the world are lamenting Trump's world (dis)order but based on the information coming out she suggests that Joe Biden should be held responsible for Trump 2.0.
http://www.youtube.com/@searchingforamericapodcast
http://www.searchingforamericapod.com
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod
http://www.x.com/robyncurnow
http://www.tiktok.com/searchingforamericapod
http://www.youtube.com/@searchingforamericapod
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
12min
June 03, 2025Are American Jews ok? | Robyn Curnow
The firebombing of Jews in Colorado is not just about rising anti-semitism but a worrying broader trend, says Robyn Curnow. Identity politics - couched in the Free Palestine rhetoric - threatens to unleash more violence against Jews and anyone who is viewed as an 'oppressor' or 'colonizer.'
Robyn Curnow reflects on the language of 'resistance' and why it's so dangerous.
http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod.com
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
http://www.youtube.com/@searchingforamericapodcast
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
11min
May 27, 2025Leadership lessons from the CIA | Marc Polymeropoulos and Robyn Curnow
What can spycraft teach business leaders? Marc Polymeropoulos is one of the CIA's most decorated operatives. He spills secrets to Robyn Curnow about the leadership lessons he learnt in the shadows.
Memorial Day honors America's fallen warriors. The CIA men and women killed in action are remembered by stars at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Marc lost colleagues and agents because of mistakes made in the field during post-9/11 years in hostile environments.
Marc Polymeropoulos talks to Robyn Curnow about the nine principles that leaders in any organisation can use to strength and clarity in times of stress; even if they're not in badlands of Afghanistan or Iraq.
This is a bonus episode of a conversation between Marc Polymeropoulos and Robyn Curnow. In Part 1 he talks about dive bars, Damascus and the death of colleagues. In Part 2 Marc recounts when he was attacked by an energy weapon while in Moscow, which left him with traumatic brain injury called Havana Syndrome that has incapacitated numerous American intelligence operatives around the world.
SIGN UP FOR ROBYN'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE:
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FIND MARC HERE:
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ORDER MARC'S BOOK Clarity in Crisis: Lessons from the CIA
https://www.amazon.com/Clarity-Crisis-Leadership-Lessons-CIA/dp/1400223865
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
26min
May 22, 2025Why has Trump zero-ed in on South Africa? | Robyn Curnow
Out of all the foreign policy tit-for-tats to have - why has President Trump picked South Africa? Why is he concerned about minority white farmers who speak Afrikaans in the rural areas of a continent that's not a strategic priority for the USA?
Robyn Curnow is South African, lives in Atlanta, Georgia and she was CNN's Africa correspondent for many years. She has known the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa since the 1990's when he was part of Nelson Mandela's team. She has also interviewed many American Presidents.
She offers a unique perspective - understanding the instincts on both sides - after a fractious Oval Office meeting between the South Africans and the Americans.
There is good reason, Robyn says, why Trump has honed in on the death of white farmers in South Africa. And the South Africans need to tread carefully as they try to manage a transactional US President - without falling back into familiar ideological defiance rather than much-needed realism.
http://www.x.com/robyncurnow
http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod
http://www.searchingforamericpod.com
http://www.youtube.com/@searchingforamericapodcast
Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
Visit her website here.
To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.
More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.
She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.
She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
21min

FAQs about Searching for America with Robyn Curnow:

How many episodes does Searching for America with Robyn Curnow have?

The podcast currently has 63 episodes available.

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