Now What? with Brooke Shields
What do you do when you encounter the unexpected? That make-or-break moment that leaves you crying in front of strangers or quitting your job to pursue your true passion. Now What? with Brooke Shields dives deep into the world of redos, resets, and forward fails: From career pivots and personal missteps to moving through grief (or just plain moving on). Join Brooke as she sits down with authors, experts, and celebrity guests to hear their ‘now what?’ moments and learn what they’ve done (or are still doing) to get through it.
Episodes
Legendary broadcast journalist Katie Couric joins our final episode to share lessons she's learned from her extraordinary career. Katie tells Brooke how she responded when CNN’s president questioned her talent, what she took from her history-making turn at CBS Evening News, and how she fought to shake the “morning news albatross.” Speaking candidly about the lingering pain from her husband and sister’s deaths, Katie also shares how...
Brooke’s hubby Chris Henchy makes his “Now What?” debut! The couple swap details about their meet-cute on the Warner Brothers lot, their parenting skills and favorite family traditions, and how Chris’ dedication to his Irish granny helped convince Brooke he was "the one." Chris also opens up about his journey from finance bro to comedy writer, and shares how he moved on from the failure of his first movie to one of his greatest suc...
Writer, director, and actress Jennifer Esposito stops by to talk about her critically acclaimed new film, Fresh Kills, and shares how making her dream project helped her heal from years of abuse from industry heavyweights. Brooke and Jennifer discuss the importance of self-advocacy, Jennifer’s life-long struggle with celiac disease, and the power of art to breed greater empathy and understanding.
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Author, advice columnist, and all-around badass Cheryl Strayed joins Brooke for a wide-ranging conversation about parenting, childhood poverty, and what it means to be rich in love. Cheryl gets candid about the years leading up to her famous trek on the Pacific Crest Trail, and shares why she’s in need of another life-changing journey. Plus, the one thing Cheryl keeps in mind whenever she gives advice.
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Neurosurgeon, podcast host, and CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta chats with Brooke about why some brains respond more positively to “now what” moments than others, what his mom’s refugee journey taught him about resilience, and why his pivot into broadcasting was one of the biggest challenges of his life. Plus, Brooke and Sanjay share the advice they’d give their 25-year-old selves.
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Singer, songwriter, and activist Joan Baez chats with Brooke about her new documentary “I Am Noise,” and shares why she chose now to reveal intimate new details about her personal life and music. Joan also reflects on some of the biggest moments of her 60-year career (including her performance at The March on Washington), how our voices shape our identity, and what it means to be courageous.
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Cedric the Entertainer chats with Brooke about his new novel Flipping Boxcars, the origins of his "dapper style," and his pre-comedy career at State Farm. Cedric also opens up about how the industry has evolved for non-white performers and shares why he pivoted his career to be closer to his family.
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Have mercy! John Stamos and Brooke take a trip down memory lane as they reminisce about their young Hollywood days and their struggle to find legitimacy as actors. John opens up about his early “hatred” of Full House, his past alcohol addiction, and how love letters from his parents inspired him to write a memoir.
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Actress and comedian Sarah Silverman bonds with Brooke over their own parents' "sick" sense of humor, and discusses how her struggle with bedwetting as a kid made her less afraid of bombing onstage. Sarah also talks about the comedy boy’s club of the '90s, the evolution of her own material, and how aging forced her to embrace "the other parts" of herself.
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Brooke’s good friend and long-lost brother Willie Geist (Morning Joe, Sunday Today) joins the pod and shares the ways in which living in the South for 10 years changed his worldview, the moment he got (and then subsequently lost) a dream job, and what his father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis taught him about gratitude. Brooke and Willie reminisce about the origins of their friendship, including the show-stopping way Brooke first met his ...
“Now What?” returns with actor-comedian Bowen Yang! Brooke talks with Bowen about his early days recording Saturday Night Live on VHS tapes, why he abruptly left his MCAT mid-exam, and the warning Lorne Michaels gave him before he joined the cast of "SNL." Bowen opens up about learning to embrace his queerness after his painful experience with conversion therapy and explains why "compassion" is an integral part of his comedy.
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Sportscaster, podcast host and new mom Erin Andrews joins Brooke for the last episode of the season! The Fox Sports mega star talks about her most embarrassing sideline gig, and why she feels she has to work harder than her male counterparts. Plus, Erin opens up about her decade-long fertility struggles and gives a candid perspective of the surrogacy process.
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Ellie Kemper (The Office, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Brooke bond over memories of their alma mater Princeton (Go Tigers!), and their shared love for Wawa hoagies. Ellie also opens up about her short-lived career as a D1 athlete, her 'terrifying' audition for SNL, and why you won’t see her in a drama anytime soon.
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Gynecologist and women’s health expert Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz joins Brooke for an information-packed episode about aging, fertility, and menopause. The two discuss why society has normalized women’s pain, and what we can all do to better advocate for our well-being. Plus, the physiological “Now What?” moments you should look for in your lifetime.
Love Dr. Suzanne as much as we do? Check out her latest book “Menopause Bootcamp”
Today co-anchor (and literal ray of sunshine!) Savannah Guthrie chats with Brooke about their mutual love of Arizona, Savannah’s high school “slacker” days, and how her father’s sudden death pushed her toward the career she has today. The broadcast journalist and children’s book author also gets candid about her past struggles with infertility and why she hopes to start singing (and songwriting) in the years to come.
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TV personality, sports broadcaster, and entrepreneur Michael Strahan stops by the pod! The Hall of Famer chats with Brooke about his childhood spent on a military base in Germany, how he coped with being separated from his family as a teen and later as a young father, and why he credits his legendary NFL career (in part) to Jane Fonda’s workout videos.
To learn more about Michael and his business endeavors, go to michaelstrahanbra...
Buckle up for the Mayor of Flavortown! Chef, restauranteur, and TV personality Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy’s Grocery Games) joins Brooke for a story-packed episode. Guy shares how a childhood rebellion against vegetarian food pushed him towards the culinary world, how he grappled with his younger sister’s death from cancer and the ways in which her legacy inspired him to think (and cook!) differently. Plus, Guy shar...
DISCLAIMER: This podcast was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike
Actor, author, and Brooke's #1 fan Selma Blair (Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions, Hellboy) opens up about her lifelong struggles with multiple sclerosis and sobriety, and shares how a public humiliation years ago led her to the diagnosis that would change her life. Plus, why Selma started saying yes to the things that scared her m...
Kar-Jenner matriarch and media mogul Kris Jenner joins Brooke for a wide-ranging conversation about the surprising origins of her business savvy and how her approach to managing her children's careers has changed over the years. Plus, Kris opens up about the “wake-up calls” she experienced following the death of her friend Nicole Brown Simpson and her divorce from Robert Kardashian.
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Brooke welcomes Tig Notaro (One Mississippi, Tig) to the pod for a candid conversation about mothers and daughters, and the origins of their senses of humor (Shout out to Teri Terrific!) The actress-comedian opens up about finding love and shares what back-to-back illnesses and an unexpected death taught her about vulnerability and the importance of family.
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