The Assignment with Audie Cornish

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. --  This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta.  Senior Producer: Matt Martinez   Technical Director: Dan Dzula    Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  --  This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson.  Senior Producer: Matt Martinez   Technical Director: Dan Dzula    Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. --  This episode was produced by Lori Galarreta.  Senior Producer: Matt Martinez   Technical Director: Dan Dzula    Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  --  This episode was produced by Madeleine Thompson.  Senior Producer: Matt Martinez   Technical Director: Dan Dzula    Executive Producer:  Steve Lickteig  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices