
92NY Talks
The 92nd Street Y, New York has harnessed the power of arts and ideas to enrich, enlighten and change lives, and the power of community to repair the world for 150 years. This podcast features many of the fascinating people and conversations from our stage.
Latest episodes

Aug 6, 2021 • 1h 4min
Turner & Hooch: Matt Nix and Josh Peck with John Stamos
The creator and star of Disney+’s new action-comedy series Turner & Hooch, Matt Nix and Josh Peck, sit down with John Stamos, actor and star of the Disney+ original series, Big Shot. A continuation of the hit 1989 buddy cop movie of the same name starring Tom Hanks, hear them discuss adapting the series for a new audience, the challenges and joys of working with animal actors, stories from behind the scenes, and more. The conversation was streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on July 19, 2021.

Jul 8, 2021 • 57min
The creator and stars of Girls5eva
Join the creator and stars of Peacock’s acclaimed new series Girls5eva – Meredith Scardino, Sara Bareilles, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell, and Busy Philipps – for a conversation about the making of the show with TV Guide Magazine’s Damian Holbrook. Following the members of a one-hit wonder ‘90s girl group as they take one more shot at making their pop dreams come true, Girls5eva is being hailed as a smart, hilarious take on the music industry, fame, and the ‘90s nostalgia machine. Hear the creator and stars discuss making a comedy about music, the enduring power of ‘90s pop, stories from behind the scenes, and much more.

Jul 2, 2021 • 57min
Christina Hendricks with Matthew Weiner: NBC's Good Girls and more
Christina Hendricks sits down with Emmy Award-winning Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner to discuss her role in NBC's Good Girls, now entering its fourth season. They also talk about their collaborative relationship, Hendricks’ new projects, stories from behind the scenes, and more. The conversation was streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on June 22, 2021.

Jun 26, 2021 • 53min
Netflix's Master of None: Lena Waithe, Naomi Ackie, Alan Yang and Aziz Ansari with Jim Pascoe
The award-winning stars of Netflix's Master of None — Lena Waithe, Naomi Ackie, Alan Yang and Aziz Ansari — discuss the comedy’s highly-anticipated third season. It's being hailed for its bold, new dramatic depths, anchored by performances from Waithe and Ackie. Writer Jim Pascoe moderates the conversation, streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on June 17, 2021.

Jun 18, 2021 • 1h 7min
Annette Gordon-Reed with Brent Staples: In Celebration of Juneteenth
Join Pulitzer Prize-winning writers Annette Gordon-Reed and Brent Staples for a discussion of Gordon-Reed’s new book, On Juneteenth — a stirring reflection on how the holiday commemorating the freeing of African-American slaves in the United States is celebrated. Focusing on her upbringing in Texas, Gordon-Reed’s candid meditation on the complex mythologies of her state’s relationship to the holiday provides a personal but historically grounded lens on race in America. Hear her and Staples discuss the book and break down the controversies surrounding Juneteenth’s celebration, its renewed significance in the wake of last summer’s protests, and more.

Jun 11, 2021 • 1h 4min
Barry Jenkins with Annette Insdorf: The Underground Railroad
Reel Pieces moderator Annette Insdorf interviews Academy Award®-winner Barry Jenkins about his acclaimed new series, The Underground Railroad. Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the ten episodes — currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video — trace the journey of Cora Randall, a slave who escapes a Georgia plantation and struggles for freedom in the antebellum South. The conversation was streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on June 7, 2021.

May 28, 2021 • 59min
The Future of Sex: Cosmopolitan's Jessica Pels and Esquire's Michael Sebastian with Haylin Belay
The editors of Cosmopolitan and Esquire, Jessica Pels and Michael Sebastian, discuss The Future of Sex with sex educator Haylin Belay. What will sex, dating and relationships be like once COVID-19 is finally behind us? Cosmopolitan and Esquire teamed up with the iconic Kinsey Institute to find out how the future of sex will change in a post-pandemic world. The conversation was streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on May 13, 2021.

May 13, 2021 • 45min
SoFi and 92Y's XYZ on work and mental health with Dr. Jaclyn Lopez Witmer and SoFi’s Ashley Stahl
In this episode of 92Y Talks, SoFi and 92Y's XYZ present a conversation on work and mental health with psychologist Dr. Jaclyn Lopez Witmer and SoFi’s Ashley Stahl, a career expert and host of the popular mental health podcast You Turn. The COVID crisis has added unprecedented stress to our lives, including our work lives. They explore how your mental health may be impacting your work, and the reverse. Dr. Witmer helps you identify the factors contributing to your stress and arrive at a deeper understanding of them, with coping strategies and tips for achieving greater well-being. The conversation was recorded live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on March 23, 2021.

May 1, 2021 • 1h 43min
State of Democracy Summit, Part Two: Priya Parker, Jevin West, Mahogany L. Browne, and more
In this episode of 92Y Talks, we present another installment of excerpts from our recent State of Democracy Summit, produced in collaboration with the Knight Foundation, ProPublica, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Democracy in Public: Kounkuey Design Initiative's Chelina Odbert, Eric Klinenberg of NYU's Institute for Public Knowledge, and Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering and host of the New York Times podcast Together Apart. As America becomes more ideologically divided along geographic lines, what roles can public spaces, both physical and digital, play in fostering public discourse and bridging divides? Their discussion follows introductions by The Knight Foundation's Lilly Weinberg and Lynn Ross from Reimagining The Civic Commons. Technology, Misinformation, and Democracy: Debora Plunkett of Harvard's Belfer Center, ProPublica's Jeff Kao, and Jevin West from the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public in conversation with Emily Tisch Sussman, host of the Your Political Playlist podcast. They are introduced by Craig Newmark. Art and Democracy: Kai Wright, host of WNYC's The United States of Anxiety, inaugural poet Richard Blanco, and Mahogany L. Browne, author of Black Girl Magic, share their reflections on how art strengthens democracy and what role artists play in deepening our understanding of America.

Apr 23, 2021 • 1h 48min
State of Democracy Summit: Hari Sreenivasan, Jocelyn Benson, Brad Raffensperger, Josie Duffy Rice, Wesley Lowery, and more
In this episode of 92Y Talks, we present excerpts from our recent State of Democracy Summit, produced in collaboration with the Knight Foundation, ProPublica, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. The 2020 election season and its aftermath is perhaps one of the most tumultuous times in recent history: bringing longstanding tensions in America into violent relief and testing core pillars of the democratic process as never before. Just how did America get here and where do we go now? State of Democracy: PBS Newshour's Hari Sreenivasan, The New Yorker's Jill Lepore, Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute, and Harvard professor Danielle Allen discuss vital questions about American democracy, whom it serves and how it functions. How America Votes: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and David Becker, Executive Director of The Center for Election Innovation and Research, introduced by Evette Alexander of the Knight Foundation. The Role of the Press: The Appeal's Josie Duffy Rice, Wesley Lowery of 60 Minutes+ and CBS News, NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen, and ProPublica's Stephen Engelberg.