Katie Couric

What began as a distant and mysterious illness in China at the end of 2019 has now been declared an official global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The virus, now known as COVID-19, has spread to well over 100,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe and the United States. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie asks experts like Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Head of the Outbreak Investigation Task Force of the World Health Organization, to break down everything you need to know about this alarming outbreak — where it came from, how it spreads, and what you can do to protect yourself against it. Katie also speaks to Yulin Yin, a Minnesota man who shares his extraordinary journey out of the center of the epidemic in Wuhan, China, to a 14-day quarantine in San Diego and finally, home to his family. Katie also calls on Dr. Bill Schaffner, Medical Director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, to answer some of your burning questions. For the most updated information on

Plant-based food might have started out as a niche lifestyle choice for vegans and vegetarians back in the 1970s (hello, Tofurky!), but today you can find plant-based milk, cheese, fish, meat — and so much more — in the aisles of your local grocery store. The plant-based market is even conquering fast food, appearing nationwide on menus at major chains like McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and White Castle. On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with one of the innovators behind the plant-based revolution — Ethan Brown, the CEO of Beyond Meat. They discuss the impact growing up around farms and animals had on Ethan and what finally drove him to start his business. He also shares what's really in a Beyond Meat burger and why the company isn't here to tell consumers what to eat. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just in time for March Madness, Katie talks with legendary Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw about how the Hall of Famer is working to diversify college sports, the failures of Title IX, and why we need more women leaders on and off the court. Then, Carla Williams—athletic director at the University of Virginia and the first black woman to hold the position at a Power Five school— talks candidly about the pressures of being a pioneer in a male-dominated field, and why the burden to diversify college sports shouldn’t rest solely with women and people of color. Later, some of Muffet’s former players, including Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Niele Ivey, reveal what it meant to have a mentor like Muffet to look up to—and how her strength continues to inspire them long after leaving campus. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie talks with Celeste Barber, the Australian actress and comedian who is gleefully shattering Instagram's illusion of the perfect life. Celeste shares her tactics for using the social media site for good — and for laughs — and how she managed to turn a visual joke into a whole new career. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of life's fundamental questions include, 'who am I?' and 'where do I come from?'. As at-home DNA test kits become more and more popular, those philosophical musings have become big business. But what happens when the results are more than you bargained for? On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie sits down with podcast host and author Dani Shapiro, who shares her shocking story about finding out, in her 50s, that the beloved man who raised her was not her biological father. With direct-to-consumer DNA testing expected to reach 100 million people in just a few years, Dani’s experience is far from unique — millions of people are about to come face-to-face with some hard truths about their histories. So what are the hugely profitable companies behind these kits doing to support customers who receive life-altering news? Katie speaks to one woman who took matters into her own hands after the company who made her test wouldn’t even get on the phone with her, turning her DNA results into a glo

In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie dives into the massive, frenetic and lucrative world of eSports. Katie explores the history, rapid growth and criticisms of an industry that is poised to break the billion dollar mark this year. She also attends her first live eSports event where she talks with gamers and video game makers about the particular draw of competitive gaming. And, with the help of media critic Anita Sarkeesian, Katie also tackles the blatant discrepancy between the large number of female gamers and the definitive lack of women playing in the big leagues, where prizes top millions of dollars. In a sport that requires no physical prowess, why aren't more women getting in on the action? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie's in Miami for Super Bowl LIV! Recording from the bustling media center on Miami's South Beach, Katie talks with Kansas City Chiefs superfan Eric Stonesteet — Cam from "Modern Family" — about hometown pride, the seed of his football fandom, and, of course, the upcoming series-end of the the hit TV show, "Modern Family." Eric shares what he thinks makes the show so successful and how he's learning to say goodbye this dream role and dream job. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a new year, which means we all have diets on the brain. But with so many options out there, how can we parse the good and healthy from the fads? On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gets to the bottom of trendy eating plans like intermittent fasting and keto with Dr. Mark Hyman who explains what they are and how they affect the body. Katie also speaks with health, diet and wellness expert Liz Josefsberg about the psychology behind our food cravings and how making incremental behavior changes can help us stick to our good intentions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Season Two premiere of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie gets to the bottom of the century-long battle over the Equal Rights Amendment, which says that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." On Jan. 15, 2020, Virginia became the 38th, and therefore final, state needed to add it to the Constitution — 48 years after it was first passed by Congress. But what does that mean for the ERA now? Does it finally have a shot at becoming the law of the land, or will it be marred by an endless series of legal challenges? ERA Coalition Co-President and CEO Carol Jenkins walks Katie through the history of the amendment and what comes next. Katie also talks with playwright Heidi Schreck about why the ERA’s inclusion is so crucial for — and personal to — American women. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this bonus episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Katie debuts Next Question Live, an intimate, innovation-focused series featuring interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs and business trailblazers recorded (and taped) in front of a live audience in New York City. The series opens with an interview with Tim Brown, the co-founder and co-CEO of Allbirds — the wool sneaker you've probably noticed on the street or all over your Instagram feed. Katie talks with Tim about his rocky path to Allbirds, the career in professional sports that inspired the idea, and how the young company is trying to break the shoe mold with their sustainable and fashionable products. Tim also shares some frank opinions on what it’s really like living that entrepreneur life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie reflects on her sweeping first season tackling topics like the spread of online hate and the hype of CBD, not to mention one-on-one interviews with some headline-grabbing names, including Greta Gerwig and Ronan Farrow. But while Next Question takes a brief hiatus to prepare for the next big season, Katie wants to know, what are the issues that keep you up at night? Find out how to connect with Katie, and your next question could be explored in season 2, coming in early 2020. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays can be tough! Whether you’re overwhelmed by the news, your family, or the perfectly projected lives on your social media feeds, it can be all too easy to slip into a negative-thinking feedback loop. So on this bonus holiday episode of Next Question, Katie sits down with the multi-platinum pop singer and songwriter Andy Grammer, who shares his advice for staying positive through it all. The pair also talk about Grammer’s childhood, his early days busking on the street, his faith, and even death—and what happens after the people we love pass. It turns out there’s much more to Andy Grammer than a smile and those addictively danceable tunes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a star-studded season 1 finale for Next Question! Katie sits down with her all-time favorite guest, human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, in front of a live audience at the Aspen Institute’s 36th Annual Awards dinner. As Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson and his staff have won reversals, relief, or release from prison for over 135 wrongly condemned prisoners on death row and won relief for hundreds of others wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced. His incredible life story is also the subject of the new film "Just Mercy," based on his 2014 memoir, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx who also join Katie for a fascinating conversation about their experience bringing Stevenson’s story to life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you don’t already know Greta Gerwig, then get ready to have a new hero by the end of this episode. Greta is an actress turned writer/director who is taking Hollywood by storm. Her first attempt at writing and directing resulted in the 2017 hit “Lady Bird,” and her career has only skyrocketed from there. In this interview, Katie and Greta bond over their mutual love of the book which inspired her latest project, a remake of the much loved Louisa May Alcott classic “Little Women.” While the film stars some major Hollywood heavyweights — Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep, to name a few— it’s Greta’s work behind the camera that brings a new sparkle to this classic tale. At a time when accolades for female directors are few and far between — for the fifth year in a row there were zero women nominated for a Golden Globe for directing — Greta’s voice is one that demands to be heard. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for pr

NOTE: This episode contains discussions of racist ideologies and hate-based violence. Listener discretion is advised. Sam (not his real name) was just 13 when he discovered a meme-focused online forum during a lonely time at school. His new friends there were more than happy to share their disturbing views about race and women with him, and Sam, looking for acceptance, was more than happy to listen. Except the more he listened, the more he started to believe what they had to say.  On this episode of Next Question, Katie sits down with Sam and his mom to talk about what it was like to get sucked into the far right online, then gets an expert’s take on how the internet is contributing to the rise of white nationalism—and the white nationalist violence we saw play out in places like Pittsburgh and El Paso. She also speaks to Angela King, a former neo-Nazi who works with extremists hoping to leave the far right behind, about how to help vulnerable young people navigate a world in which hate is always just a

The pod is alive with the sound of music! That’s right, for this very special episode of Next Question, Katie sits down with the one and only Julie Andrews. In this funny, fascinating, and often moving conversation, she opens up to Katie about her six decade career on both stage and screen, her marriage to the late, great Blake Edwards, her friendships with legends like Carol Burnett and Elizabeth Taylor, and how she never gets tired of talking about The Sound of Music (lucky us!). Make sure to listen to the very end when Katie plays matchmaker and arranges a surprise phone call with Julie and one of her biggest fans (hint - she also happens to be a previous Next Question guest!)  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the impeachment headlines, you’re not alone. It’s a lot to absorb—and the arguing back and forth is enough to make anybody want to run in the other direction. But the fact of the matter is our democracy is being tested right now, and we should all be paying attention. On this episode of Next Question, Katie breaks down what you need to know about the impeachment inquiry into President Trump with a little help from two brilliant legal minds: Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general who literally wrote the rules on how to investigate a sitting president, and Robert Ray, the prosecutor who led the Whitewater investigation. They talk about what to make of the impeachment hearings, what to expect next, and what the division over the investigation means for the future of American politics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It unfolded right under our noses, in classrooms, on school buses, in locker rooms after sports practice—millions of kids got addicted to nicotine within the span of just a few years, thanks to the spread of vaping devices like Juul. This fall, the scope of the issue came into shocking focus as headline after headline documented the skyrocketing number of vaping-related illnesses. How exactly did we get here—and what can we do about it now? On this episode of Next Question, Katie talks to people on all sides of the issue, including a concerned high schooler who became an activist after watching his friends battle nicotine addictions; a mom who worries about her daughter’s Juul use now that she’s away at college; a journalist who started covering the trend long before the rest of the media caught on; and some of the country’s foremost addiction experts about the best ways to help teenage vapers—and keep kids away from e-cigarettes in the first place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodc

More than 2.1 billion people use Facebook or one of its services like Instagram and WhatsApp every day. Lately though, the company that started out with the noble vision of “making the world more open and connected” is facing some serious questions about the part it plays in a lot of harmful activities like spreading misinformation, mishandling its users’ personal information, and increasing the deep divisions of our already polarized nation. On this episode ofNext Question, Katie shares her recent headline-making interview with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg at the Vanity Fair Summit in Los Angeles. It’s a tough, no-holds barred conversation that gets to the heart of the question on everyone’s mind - is Facebook doing enough to protect its more than 2 billion users and our democracy?  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting older should be something to celebrate. Instead, our youth-obsessed culture tells us we need to get rid of our wrinkles, dye our gray hair, and shave years off of our LinkedIn profiles, or risk becoming irrelevant—or worse, invisible. But why do we treat the very normal process of aging like it’s something to be ashamed of? On this episode of Next Question, Katie talks to an amazing group of women who refuse to apologize for acting (and looking) their age: Lyn Slater, a.k.a. the Accidental Icon; supermodel JoAni Johnson; anti-ageism activist Ashton Applewhite; and legendary advertising executive Cindy Gallop. Katie and her guests discuss the roots of our implicit biases against older people (especially older women), the social and economic costs of ageism, and why you should never say “thank you” when someone says you look good for your age. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.