Arguably the first viral moment of 2026 is an essay about a “toxic” group of mom friends. Actor and singer Ashley Tisdale French wrote an essay for New York Magazine’s The Cut about being iced out of her circle of fellow moms and – celebrity intrigue aside – it struck a nerve. Dr. Noelle Santorelli is a mom and a clinical psychologist who tells Audie there’s deep suffering wrapped up in establishing community around your family. She and Audie discuss the vulnerability of needing support, making friends for yourself and your kid, and the dysfunction of group dynamics.

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This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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It may be a new year, but one of 2025's most unexpected hits isn’t done with us yet. Heated Rivalry, the TV adaptation of a spicy romance novel about two hockey players, has turned two unknown actors into overnight stars and sparked outsized conversations about sex on screen, queer representation, and masculinity in sports. Writer and culture critic Ira Madison III joins Audie to talk about how a low-budget Canadian series became a cultural flashpoint—and what its popularity reveals about the moment we’re in. 

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This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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After a head-spinning year in the worlds of health and technology, Audie invited Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the host of Chasing Life, and Clare Duffy from Terms of Service, to break down the stories that ended up on all their podcasts this year.

Producer: Dan Bloom

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig

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As families gather for the holidays and political differences resurface, we revisit Audie's conversation with psychologist Joshua Coleman, who breaks down why partisan divides are driving family estrangement, how generational dynamics intensify the conflict, and what it looks like to navigate, or repair, these fractures from either side.

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This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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What was this year in pop culture like? A scrappy Canadian gay hockey romance becomes the internet’s obsession while big-budget, star-packed shows are dwindling. AI rage-bait memes (some from government accounts) keep hijacking the national conversation. These are just some of the pop culture moments that defined 2025. Audie and New York Magazine staff writer Rebecca Alter break it down. 

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This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  

Technical Director: Dan Dzula   

Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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Audie talks with CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan about how people are reshaping their spiritual lives -- from Wicca to aliens -- and searching for new sources of meaning. Donie is exploring all of this in a new docuseries called “Devoted.” It’s available on CNN All Access.

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This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta. 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  
Technical Director: Dan Dzula   
Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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Will an uncertain economy lead to less charitable giving this holiday season? And what if you want to give back but don’t have a lot of money? Audie talks with Sara Herschander, who covers philanthropy for Vox’s Future Perfect, about all the ways you can help.

Producer: Madeleine Thompson

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig

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Missed car payments, crowdfunding for groceries, prices rising on everything from rent to hummus — everyday signs that something in the economy feels...tense. But the official numbers, and even the White House, keep insisting things are steady. Audie unpacks the strange gap between how the economy looks and how it feels with CNN Business’s Senior Writer, Allison Morrow.

This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez

Technical Director: Dan Dzula

Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig

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Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led her country through some of its greatest crises: the Christchurch mass shooting, a deadly volcano eruption, and a global pandemic. A new CNN documentary takes an intimate look at Ardern’s political career, filmed over seven years. Audie met Ardern at Oxford University to talk about the film, parenting in the spotlight, empathetic leadership, and what’s next.  

CNN Films will broadcast the television premiere of “Prime Minister” on Sunday, November 16 at 9pm ET/PT on CNN.  “Prime Minister” will be available to stream the next day for subscribers of CNN’s All Access streaming offering. 

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This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson and Osman Noor 

Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  
Technical Director: Dan Dzula   
Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig 

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This week, Audie sits on the other side of the mic and talks about her favorite show, “Love is Blind.” Her conversation is with Anne Helen Petersen on her podcast “Culture Study.” Yes, “Love Is Blind” is reality television, but it has a lot to say about this moment in history and politics. They talk about what works and doesn't work about these shows, and what they say about us as viewers. 

Learn more about Anne Helen Petersen’s Culture Study newsletter and podcast.

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