Next Question with Katie Couric

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu knows that race is hard to talk about, but he thinks it's important to do it anyway. In fact, he recently put himself on the map with a powerful speech backing the removal of Confederate monuments in his city. Mayor Landrieu sits down with Katie and Brian at the Aspen Ideas Festival to delve into the history and context behind his now-famous remarks. They also discuss climate change in the Big Easy, the role of cities in the Trump era, and why Mayor Landrieu still wishes he could be a Broadway star. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for another bonus episode! Katie and Brian ask Veep's Matt Walsh all the questions they didn't get to last week. Find out what Matt considers his big break and who he admires most in comedy. Plus, why he gave up on becoming a therapist– and a squirrel. Yes, a squirrel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his role as the beleaguered Mike McLintock on HBO's Veep, Matt Walsh is often the butt of the joke. In real life, however, Matt is revered— in the world of improv comedy, at least. He's one of the founding members the Upright Citizens Brigade, a comedy institution. Matt joins Katie and Brian to discuss improv vs. stand-up, what makes Julia Louis-Dreyfus so great to work with, and the advice he'd give to Sean Spicer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian takes the wheel this week and sits down with Graham Allison, the founding dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a leading military strategist. For decades, Allison has advised defense secretaries and presidents on both sides of the political aisle. Now he's out with a new book that examines whether America and China are destined to go to war. He and Brian delve into the challenges associated with China's rising power, the diplomatic implications of the Paris Climate Accord, and why the U.S. seems caught in a slow-motion Cuban Missile Crisis with North Korea.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Sheila Nevins started her career in the 1960s, she didn't know women could be bosses. After all, she'd only ever worked for male supervisors. Now, at 78, she's the president of HBO Documentary Films. Sheila joins Katie and Brian for an unflinching conversation about everything from her painful childhood memories to her plastic surgery. Plus, they discuss what makes a great documentary and listen to celebrities read excerpts from Sheila's new book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise! Katie and Brian serve up a podcast extra featuring Christie Todd Whitman, the Republican former governor of New Jersey. In this debut bonus segment, Governor Whitman offers some exclusive insights into her life and career, including what her parents taught her and what she sees as her biggest mistake. She delves into everything from her first job, as a candy striper, to her favorite job: being governor. Plus, she shares her top tip for a successful marriage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christie Todd Whitman was New Jersey's first female governor, but she didn't grow up thinking that she'd like to run for office. She joins Katie and Brian to discuss her path to public service, why she left as George W. Bush’s EPA Administrator, and her assessment of New Jersey’s current Governor Christie. Plus, she talks about the state of her party, and the country, under President Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has scored the most points of any NBA player in history, and basketball isn't the only arena where he's found success. At 70, he's a best-selling author, an award-winning cancer research advocate, and a prolific cultural commentator who isn't afraid to speak out on controversial political and social issues. Kareem joins Katie to talk about being black and Muslim in America, surviving cancer, and watching the game of basketball change since his own heyday. Plus, he explains what was so special about his friend and mentor John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach who is the subject of his latest book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than 40 years working in America's top newsrooms, Marty Baron is one of the most respected names in news. As editor of the Washington Post since 2012, he has led his staff to Pulitzers and helped them weather the changes that came when a tech billionaire bought the paper. Marty talks with Katie and Brian about the state of journalism, fake news, and how technology has changed his job. They're also joined by Jessica Lessin, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Information, an innovative news site covering Silicon Valley. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After her husband died suddenly from a cardiac arrhythmia, Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg (Lean In) thought she would never experience true joy again. Nearly two years later, she is out with a new book, Option B, that delves into how she proved herself wrong— and how others can build resilience in the face of trauma, too. Sandberg wrote Option B with her friend Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and Wharton professor. They both join Katie onstage at 92Y (92Y.org) in Manhattan to discuss insights from the book, including how to support grieving children, dating after loss, and the "three P's" that can hinder recovery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.