The Assignment with Audie Cornish

Sweeping cuts are throwing America’s national parks and forests into uncertainty. With fewer rangers, trail crews, and wildfire fighters, the effects could be immediate — closed campgrounds, neglected trails, and a fire season primed to be more dangerous than ever. Audie talks with veteran wildland firefighter Riva Duncan and CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir about what these cuts mean for public lands, outdoor tourism, and the communities—and economies— that depend on them.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned from office in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal. Now, he’s back and running for mayor of New York City. And he’s not the only one, other so-called “canceled” men from Hollywood, media and politics are being welcomed back to the public sphere. So what’s happened to the Me Too Movement? Audie talks with the founder of ‘Me Too’, Tarana Burke, and former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, about backlash, regrets, and the work they’re doing to move forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A growing number of tech leaders, conservatives, and social influencers believe falling birthrates pose an existential threat to civilization, and this “pro-natalist” movement wants Americans to start having more babies. Audie talks to Brad Wilcox, a sociology professor at the University of Virginia. His book is called, “Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Oscars aren’t just about the movies—they’re about politics, too. Audie talks with New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman, author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears. They break down the high-stakes world of Oscar campaigning including who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes, and what this year’s race reveals about the shifting dynamics of the industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Raw milk, seed oil skepticism, and...coffee enemas? The rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the conservative “Make America Healthy Again” movement is reclaiming what it means to be ‘crunchy’ -- a term previously associated with health-conscious liberals. Audie talks with Kiera Butler, a Mother Jones senior editor and reporter deeply embedded in the world of the conservative right's wellness trends.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump put Elon Musk in charge of government efficiency and the result has been nonstop chaos and trauma for civil servants. Audie talks with WIRED reporter Vittoria Elliot about how he is doing it and who is helping him. Audie also talks with someone who’s gone through an Elon purge -- former Twitter executive Dr. Rumman Chowdhury. She offers advice on how to get through it.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the wake of Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, Audie talks with Rev. Gabriel Salguero about how faith leaders are navigating the call to provide support and guidance to undocumented immigrants in their congregations. Rev. Salguero is the pastor of The Gathering Place in Orlando, Florida, and president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Dry January" is evolving into something more than a 4-week virtue signal. American attitudes about drinking are changing, especially among younger generations who are drinking much less. So, what’s behind this cultural shift, and why now? Audie talks with Derek Brown, the founder of Positive Damage a newsletter about “drinking mindfully.” And Chris Marshall, the founder of Sans Bar, the first non-alcoholic bar in North America. For more on what alcohol does to the body, listen to Dr. Sanjay Gupta's podcast, Chasing Life. "Your Shame-Free Guide to Cutting Back on Booze.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Kalmus left California two years ago in part because of his concerns about hotter days and increasing wildfires. Today, his former neighborhood of Altadena is one of the many communities left scorched by the wildfires. And he says more are coming. Audie talks with Kalmus, who studies future extreme heat impacts on human health and ecosystems at NASA, about how the Los Angeles wildfires are part of a greater climate crisis, and how our grief can be channeled into preventing the next disaster.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump’s reelection has some people putting politics over family. Audie talks with psychologist Joshua Coleman about the forces driving family estrangements over political differences, how generational differences can play a part in broken family ties, and what to do if you find yourself on either side of an estrangement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices