Searching for America with Robyn Curnow

By Robyn Curnow, Bleav

From global correspondent to local observer.

Understanding America from the inside, as an outsider.

Short, sharp dispatches on power, culture, and politics from a South African living in the American ... 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 85 episodes available.

Searching for America with Robyn Curnow episodes:

January 06, 2026Trump's Venezuela Gamble
I want to look at Venezuela not as a failed state or a morality tale, but as a map.
When I zoom out, what I see isn’t just Caracas or Maduro — I see oil, ports, shipping lanes, and a quiet power struggle playing out very close to home. Venezuela sits only about 1,300 miles from the United States, right on the edge of the Caribbean basin, and over the past two decades China, Russia, and Iran have all embedded themselves there in different ways.
In this episode, Robyn Curnow explores why geography matters again, why control of chokepoints now shapes security more than armies do, and how the Trump corollary to the Monroe Doctrine signals a return to enforcing old hemispheric lines — just in a much more direct way.
This isn’t about ideology or personalities. It’s about infrastructure, leverage, and how power actually moves in the world we’re living in now.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE
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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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13min
November 24, 2025Thanksgiving Thanks
When I first moved to the US, I didn’t fully understand Thanksgiving. Now, after years of living here, this holiday reveals more about America than almost anything else.
In this episode, I unpack the history, the travel madness, the affordability of the classic Thanksgiving meal, and the national instinct toward connection that defines this time of year. I also share my own Thanksgiving list—why I’m grateful for America’s opportunity culture, its democratic protections, and its deep spirit of generosity.
Listen and subscribe to Searching for America, and explore more of my work on Substack, YouTube, and beyond.
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
9min
November 17, 2025When Machines Can Write the News
Will artificial intelligence kill journalism?
In this episode of Searching for America, I explore what happens to truth, trust, and storytelling in a world where AI can now write articles, summarize reports, fact-check, and even present the news.
Drawing on my years inside newsrooms, I look at how AI is already reshaping journalism — accelerating job losses, blurring the line between what’s real and what’s synthetic, and forcing us to rethink what the profession is actually for.
I’m not anti-AI. I think it’s an extraordinary tool.
But journalism won’t survive by competing with machines on speed or volume. We’ll never win that race.
Instead, I argue that the future lies in what AI can’t replicate: human presence, lived experience, empathy, judgment, and the simple act of asking who, what, when, where, and why.
From ancient scribes to modern war correspondents, this episode is about why real, human reporting still matters — and may be more essential than ever.
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.
...more
11min
November 10, 2025Dolly for President
Why is Dolly Parton one of the few Americans almost everyone seems to agree on?
In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how a brassy country superstar with big hair, big humor, and even bigger generosity became an unlikely bridge across America’s political divide.
From “Dolly for President” T-shirts to write-in ballots, I look at why Dolly inspires affection on both the left and the right — and what her careful refusal to play partisan politics reveals about a country exhausted by extremes.
I reflect on my own encounters with Dolly’s America, from a family road trip through rural Tennessee to a day wandering Dollywood, and what I learned talking to people far outside my own bubble.
Dolly’s genius, I argue, lies in her ability to honor roots without resentment, values without judgment, and difference without division.
At a moment when the country feels fractured, Dolly Parton may be one of the last shared symbols reminding Americans that common ground — and a sense of humor — still exist.
Newsletter
http://robyncurnow.substack.com
http://www.robyncurnow.net
http://youtube.com/@robyncurnow
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
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
November 04, 2025Angertainment: When News Stops Informing and Starts Recruiting
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, 2025The Halloween Industrial Complex
Why do Americans spend more on Halloween than some countries spend on national defense?
In this episode of Searching for America, I take a curious look at America’s favorite pagan holiday and the astonishing amount of money spent on plastic spiders, fake cemeteries, inflatable unicorns, and candy by the truckload.
As an outsider living in the Deep South Bible Belt, I’m endlessly amused by how Halloween has become a national obsession — even in a year filled with anxiety about inflation, tariffs, and the economy. From neighborhood decoration arms races and designer pumpkins to pet costumes and Amazon-delivered outfits, I explore why Americans keep opening their wallets every October.
It turns out Halloween isn’t just about ghosts and goblins. It’s about escapism, community, and a rare chance to have a little fun in a serious, lonely world. And when kids get to roam the streets like it’s 1982 — dressed as superheroes and unicorns — I’m more than happy to pay up.
Happy Halloween.
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
newsletter
http://robyncurnow.substack.com
http://www.robyncurnow.net
http://youtube.com/@therobyncurnow
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
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!
http://robycurnow.substack.com
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
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

FAQs about Searching for America with Robyn Curnow:

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

The podcast currently has 85 episodes available.

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