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 

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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 world.

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Producers: Elizabeth Corallo, Jesse Remedios, Lori Galarreta, Graelyn Brashear

Senior Producer: Dan Bloom

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

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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.

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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 Martinez

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

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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 Remedios and Lori Galarreta

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

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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 about its future.

This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta and Jesse Remedios

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

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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 in Brooklyn, New York. 

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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 defining this moment.   

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This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta and Jesse Remedios

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

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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.

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This episode was produced by Sofía Sanchez. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

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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. 

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This episode was produced by Sofía Sanchez. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

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