Engagement Party

Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds.

Episodes

How Ella Langley Won the Electoral College of Culture

August 7, 2026 • 39 mins

"Choosin’ Texas" broke the Billboard charts – so why can’t we all agree it’s the Song of Summer? Audie breaks down why the answer may say more about the state of the music industry than Ella Langley. Plus: Boy Throb is Ari’s latest summer music obsession, and he doesn’t care if it’s a psyop. Like what you heard? Sign up for our newsletter to catch up on the latest tre...

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Eddie Huang and the Power of "Sad Boy Lit"

July 31, 2026 • 35 mins

Writer and chef Eddie Huang joins the party for a conversation about "sad boy" literature, finding love, and the worst relationship advice he's ever received. Like what you heard? Sign up for our newsletter to catch up on the latest trends, obsessions and culture. Something in your feed you want us to talk about on the show? Email us a video at engagementparty@cnn.com and we’ll feature you on the show. ...

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Gen Z's '90s Nostalgia Has Some Gaps

July 24, 2026 • 47 mins

The '90s are everywhere these days — clothes, music, TV — and brands are doing everything they can to capitalize on the revival. Audie and Ari explore what’s driving the modern fascination with a decade they lived through, what Gen Z's rose-colored glasses miss about the era, and what they wax nostalgic for (mix tapes!). Plus, comedian Rob Anderson joins Audie to discuss why nostalgia is so damn funny. Like...

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'The Odyssey' Is Epic But The Discourse Is Not

July 17, 2026 • 38 mins

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey isn't just a movie — it's an event. Audie and Ari sift through the hype, backlash, and what the online chatter says about the cultural moment. Plus: how Venmo is warping our relationships with money and each other, and why Love Island watch parties rival ones for the World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoic...

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Will Meta’s AI Glasses Ever Be Cool?

July 10, 2026 • 32 mins

Meta’s trying hard to sell people on its AI glasses, but will partnering with Ray-Ban and celebrities like Kylie Jenner let them shed the pervasive take that they’re creepy and cringe? Plus, why fro-yo’s in the midst of yet another revival, and whether the viral “airport theory” of rolling up to security when you’re flight’s due to board is smart or horrifying (Audie and Ari disagree). ...

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The Summer of Peptides and Celebrity Weddings

July 3, 2026 • 39 mins

Is this officially the summer of peptides and celebrity weddings? Audie and Ari consider what Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback means for the rise of GLP-1s and the evolution of body positivity. Then they dive into Taylor Swift, our parasocial obsession with celebrity romance, and unveil their official taxonomy of weddings. Finally, what was up with that “tapping” scene in The Devil Wears Prada 2? About the sho...

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‘Nunmania,’ the Woke Pope, and Gen-Z's Loneliness Content

June 26, 2026 • 41 mins

From pop stars like Rosalía and Lilly Allen in habits to nuns blessing Spurs players and praise for the “woke Pope,” Catholicism is in, and everywhere. But is it just about the aesthetics? Plus, why are people celebrating having no friends in their TikTok videos? And are those adorable videos of World Cup fans delighting in America’s air conditioning, oversized servings and ranch dressing for real? Ab...

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The Anti-Toxic Masculinity of Modern-Day Rom-Coms

June 19, 2026 • 39 mins

Amazon's wildly popular "Off Campus" is just the latest in a parade of BookTok-beloved titles to gain new fans as streaming shows, and the pairing of explicit sex and non-toxic masculinity means these aren’t your mom’s rom-coms. And as fans react to Phoebe Bridgers’ announcement of a phone-free arena tour this summer, Audie and Ari debate the merits of locking away devices for live events. Plus, "Wild Card" host R...

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'Obsession' Fever, 'The Republic of Wasia,' and Why Tan Lines Are Hot Again

June 12, 2026 • 40 mins

"Obsession" and "Backrooms" are breaking box office records. Audie and Ari dissect both films' YouTube origins, the secrets of their success, and why the whole horror genre is killing it right now. Then, friend of the show Elise Hu helps break down how the "Republic of Wasia" became a meme and a moment, and why not everyone who's mixed-Asian feels included. Plus: Why are tan lines in again? About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish...

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Audie & Ari on Ambition, Purpose, Poetry (from The Sam Sanders Show)

June 10, 2026 • 50 mins

What are the pieces of pop culture — movies, music, TV, books, speeches — that you return to over and over again? Sam Sanders calls them “Modern Scriptures,” and on the latest episode of his podcast, he joins his longtime friends and fellow NPR colleagues Ari Shapiro and Audie Cornish to hear all about theirs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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The 'Summer House' Scandal and Andrew Lloyd Webber On Revivals

June 5, 2026 • 39 mins

The racially charged love triangle drama on the long-running reality series "Summer House" has echoed far beyond the Bravo-verse, and Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro are unpacking why Ciara's responses have gone so viral. Plus: Andrew Lloyd Webber of "Phantom of the Opera" and "Sunset Boulevard" fame joins to talk "Cats," sobriety, and letting go of creative control. Kara Swisher wonders why Pete Hegseth is pirouetting across her soc...

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Protein-maxxing, 'blue dot fever' and the slopbowl downfall

May 29, 2026 • 28 mins

From PopTarts to soda, food brands are adding protein to almost everything, and people are going to gross lengths online to get enough of it, from the stars of Netflix show "Love is Blind" to the internet "boy kibble" creators. But can protein be...MAGA-coded? And does fiber have what it takes to become the internet’s new favorite food trend? Plus, Alan Cumming calls for an end to “slop bowls,” and what's really b...

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Yes, We're Still Hate-Watching 'Euphoria'

May 22, 2026 • 33 mins

Season three of HBO’s 'Euphoria' is coming to a close, and its characters...are not teens anymore. Neither are the stars. From Zendaya to Sydney Sweeney to Jacob Elordi, the cast has grown up with the show. In this episode of Engagement Party, Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro dissect the careers and controversies surrounding Sam Levinson's 'Euphoria.' Plus, what the sale of original Bob Ross paintings says about the line between...

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TMZ is Turning Heads on Capitol Hill

April 30, 2026 • 32 mins

Capitol Hill has a new kind of journalist: TMZ, the tabloid news powerhouse known for its scoops and celebrity paparazzi coverage. Audie sits down with Jacob Wasserman, co-managing editor of TMZ DC, to discuss his first few weeks on the job—and why both government insiders and legacy media can’t look away. Producers: Lori Galarreta, Jesse Remedios, Graelyn Brashear Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical...

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Ramy Youssef Wants Everyone to Laugh

April 23, 2026 • 31 mins

Ramy Youssef has spent the past decade building a career that spans TV, stand-up, film and has even landed some big awards. Now, with the release of his third comedy special, In Love, he joins Audie to reflect on what it means to tell Arab American stories today vs seven years ago and why aiming to make everyone laugh is both a choice and a challenge. Then, Audie’s longt...

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Tell Me How to Feel About Space

April 16, 2026 • 25 mins

Artemis II returns from its historic mission to the far side of the moon, inspiring millions during an otherwise tense news cycle. Astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi joins Audie to unpack the mix of awe, hope, and unease shaping this new era of space exploration. Oluseyi is the author of ‘Why Do We Exist? The Nine Realms of Universe that Make You Possible.’ Producers: Lori Ga...

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Is the Manosphere Finally Collapsing?

April 9, 2026 • 25 mins

The manosphere isn’t fringe anymore. It’s mainstream, political and hard to ignore. Louis Theroux’s latest Netflix documentary “Inside the Manosphere” arrives after a decade-long rise, from the gamergate controversy to personas like Andrew Tate. Audie speaks with New York Times Opinion writer Jessica Grose, who’s followed the movement si...

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Astrology Isn’t Just a Vibe, It’s a Booming Industry

April 2, 2026 • 27 mins

From birth charts to astrology apps, we have an enduring fascination with what the stars can tell us. Audie sits down with Astrologers Jennifer Freed and Chani Nicholas to talk about why this obsession has turned into big business. And, what we’re really looking for when we look up. Learn more about your ad choices. ...

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When the Bookie Is in Your Pocket

March 26, 2026 • 37 mins

One man’s journey from suburban dad to self-described “degenerate gambler.” The Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins joins Audie to recount how he spent $10,000 of his employer’s money betting on the NFL over the course of a season. They discuss how online sports gambling reshaped his habits, what it reveals about a rapidly expanding industry, and how betting has seeped into everyday culture. Plus, ...

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From JFK to RFK Jr.: How the Kennedys Track American Culture

March 19, 2026 • 30 mins

From Camelot-era glamour to RFK Jr.’s viral moments, the Kennedys have a way of reflecting the cultural mood of any given time. That pattern is resurfacing again—with a buzzy FX series on JFK Jr. and a fresh wave of online fascination. Audie Cornish sits down with comedian and The United States of Kennedy co-host George Civeris to unpack how the family evolved from political dynasty into cu...

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Engagement Party

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}How Ella Langley Won the Electoral College of Culture

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Eddie Huang and the Power of "Sad Boy Lit"

Gen Z's '90s Nostalgia Has Some Gaps

'The Odyssey' Is Epic But The Discourse Is Not

Will Meta’s AI Glasses Ever Be Cool?

The Summer of Peptides and Celebrity Weddings

‘Nunmania,’ the Woke Pope, and Gen-Z's Loneliness Content

The Anti-Toxic Masculinity of Modern-Day Rom-Coms

'Obsession' Fever, 'The Republic of Wasia,' and Why Tan Lines Are Hot Again

Audie & Ari on Ambition, Purpose, Poetry (from The Sam Sanders Show)

The 'Summer House' Scandal and Andrew Lloyd Webber On Revivals

Protein-maxxing, 'blue dot fever' and the slopbowl downfall

Yes, We're Still Hate-Watching 'Euphoria'

TMZ is Turning Heads on Capitol Hill

Ramy Youssef Wants Everyone to Laugh

Tell Me How to Feel About Space

Is the Manosphere Finally Collapsing?

Astrology Isn’t Just a Vibe, It’s a Booming Industry

When the Bookie Is in Your Pocket

From JFK to RFK Jr.: How the Kennedys Track American Culture

Popular Podcasts

How Ella Langley Won the Electoral College of Culture

Eddie Huang and the Power of "Sad Boy Lit"