Apple News In Conversation

Why the Constitution is making our politics worse (From the archives) 02.07.2026 30min

This episode originally aired on Sept 18, 2025. The Constitution has been amended 27 times, but the last meaningful change was over half a century ago. In historian Jill Lepore’s book We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, she argues that the near impossibility of amendment in recent decades underlies many of today’s political crises, from polarization to battles over the courts. Lepore spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the history of constitutional revision and why the amendment process matters for the future of American democracy.

The little-known forces quietly killing the college degree 25.06.2026 24min

When New Yorker staff writer Jay Caspian Kang sat down to do his taxes, one question surfaced: Should he still be saving for his 9-year-old daughter’s college fund? What followed was a deeply reported series about the growing crisis in American higher education and the forces behind it — from AI to soaring tuition to a collapse in public trust in institutions. Kang speaks with Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene about what colleges are actually for, whether they’re still delivering on their promises, and what the future of higher education might look like.

The U.S. is turning 250. These songs unexpectedly changed American history. 18.06.2026 23min

The United States turns 250 years old this summer — and there’s no shortage of ways to mark the moment. One of the most revealing lenses through which to view the country’s history may be music. Anna Harwell Celenza, professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of On the Record: Music That Changed America, joined Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to discuss the hidden political history of American music — from why “The Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem to how “Strange Fruit” helped pass anti-lynching legislation — and what music still has to say about democracy now.

TV’s most beloved assistant coach says the World Cup is about to change America. Here’s how. 11.06.2026 26min

This year’s World Cup will be the largest in history, with 48 teams and 104 matches — and, for the first time in more than 30 years, the tournament is being played on American soil. Brendan Hunt, co-creator, writer, and star of Ted Lasso and cohost of the Apple News Original podcast After the Whistle, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to talk about how he fell in love with soccer as an adult, the U.S. Men’s National Team players he’ll be watching, and whether the United States is finally a soccer country.

How the Texas floods forever changed one family 04.06.2026 24min

On July 4, 2025, catastrophic flooding tore through Central Texas, killing more than 130 people and destroying communities along the Guadalupe River. Aaron Parsley, a senior editor at Texas Monthly, was there — and though he survived, his family suffered a devastating loss. His harrowing account of what happened when floodwaters overwhelmed their house and ripped them apart won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. Now he’s out with a new essay and a podcast about what their recovery has looked like. Parsley joined Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to talk about grief, the evolution of his faith, and what survival really means.

How to navigate summer air travel when everything costs more 28.05.2026 21min

The summer travel season is upon us — and this year is more complicated and more expensive than most. The war in Iran has driven up jet-fuel prices globally, and Spirit Airlines, one of the biggest budget carriers in the country, has just shut down. On top of that, a possible super El Niño could cause widespread disruptions. Zach Wichter, a consumer travel reporter at USA Today, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to explain what it all means for travelers this summer — and his tips for how to fly smarter.

Why America has more billionaires than ever (From the archives) 21.05.2026 30min

This episode originally aired on July 10, 2025. Americans have a long history of obsession with the ultrarich, from Carnegie and Rockefeller to Bezos and Musk. And today, the gap between the rich and the poor is bigger than ever as the billionaire class has ascended to new heights. In his book, The Haves and Have-Yachts, New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos explores the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy and their outsize influence on politics. He sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about this unique moment — when billionaires are both resented and envied by the public — and what it means for the rest of us.

How one Supreme Court decision could shift political power for decades 14.05.2026 24min

At the end of April, the Supreme Court’s ruling on Louisiana v. Callais significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act. The decision made it easier for states to legally draw districts that reduce the voting power of Black voters and other minority groups. In response, several Republican-controlled Southern states have moved to redraw their congressional maps. Adam Serwer, a staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to help explain this pivotal moment and the long history of voting rights in America.

Rebroadcast: They work full-time jobs. Why are they homeless? 07.05.2026 39min

This week, Brian Goldstone was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his book, There Is No Place for Us, which is featured in this episode from our archives. Millions of Americans cannot afford housing despite working full-time jobs. They live in cars, shelters, or extended-stay hotels and often don’t qualify for assistance programs. Journalist and anthropologist Brian Goldstone follows five Atlanta families who are stuck in this cycle in his new book, There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America. Goldstone reveals how these parents and children are prevented from securing housing by steep rents, red tape, and predatory schemes. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how this crisis arose and ways to address it.

The real reason American men are struggling 30.04.2026 28min

The headlines say that American men are in crisis. But what does that actually mean — and what does it look like up close? Journalist Jordan Ritter Conn spent five years inside the lives of four different men to find out. His new book, American Men, explores the gap between masculine ideals and the reality of men’s lived experience. Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders sat down with Ritter Conn to talk about what those four lives reveal about masculinity, inadequacy, and what the national conversation about men keeps getting wrong.

The unique power of an American pope 23.04.2026 31min

Nearly a year ago, Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first pope in history from the U.S. His papacy so far has been relatively calm — until recent weeks, when a sharp public conflict with President Trump over the Iran war thrust him onto the political stage. Scott Detrow, host of NPR’s All Things Considered and coauthor of the upcoming American Pope: Leo XIV’s Road From the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City, joins guest host Sam Sanders to explore what it means to have an American pope who understands U.S. politics — and why his influence may be felt far beyond the Catholic Church.

How to make nostalgia your psychological superpower 16.04.2026 28min

The 1990s are back — especially for Gen Z. CDs, flip phones, and ’90s beauty trends are all having a moment among people in their teens and 20s. To understand why this generation is nostalgic for a past they didn’t experience, Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders talks with psychologist Clay Routledge. Routledge is the author of Past Forward: How Nostalgia Can Help You Live a More Meaningful Life and executive vice president and COO at the Archbridge Institute. He explains what’s fueling Gen Z’s fascination with the ’90s, when romanticizing the past can be harmful, and how looking back can make your future brighter.

Why so many people are falling in love with AI chatbots 09.04.2026 25min

A medieval-monster slayer. A tiny alien named Roscoe. A talking plate of spaghetti. These are just a few of the customizable companions available through AI-chatbot apps like Kindroid, Tolan, and Character.AI. In her latest piece for the New Yorker, journalist Anna Wiener explores the rapidly expanding world of these products and the people who use them. She joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to talk about the users she met who are in relationships with AI chatbots, the Silicon Valley creators building them, and the risks of forming emotional bonds with technology.

He said yes to an IT job. He ended up enslaved in a scam compound. 02.04.2026 31min

Last June, journalist Andy Greenberg received an anonymous email from someone claiming to be trapped inside a scam compound in Southeast Asia. The source, using the pseudonym Red Bull, said he had access to a trove of internal materials exposing the inner workings of the criminal operation — and that he was willing to risk his life to share them. Greenberg has now published Red Bull’s story in Wired. He joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to discuss what he uncovered about the shadowy world of global scam compounds, and what happened when Red Bull tried to escape.

Americans are obsessed with protein. How much do you actually need? 26.03.2026 26min

We are in the middle of a protein boom. Protein food products make up a more than $100 billion industry — and it’s still growing. In a new book, Protein: The Making of a Nutritional Superstar, health scholar Samantha King and sociologist Gavin Weedon reveal how marketing, industry interests, and cultural trends — not nutritional science — have turned protein into the most popular nutrient of the moment. King and Weedon sat down with Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to talk about the real reason protein is everywhere, and how to think differently about your intake.

How Elon Musk transformed Twitter — and what it means for online discourse 19.03.2026 30min

Twitter was created 20 years ago. Many saw the platform as an online public square — a place to connect with strangers, spark viral debates, and even launch careers and social movements. When Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he began reshaping it in his own image, eventually rebranding it as X, and redefining how it operates and what it’s used for. New York Times technology reporters Ryan Mac and Kate Conger, authors of Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, join Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to unpack that transformation, and what it reveals about the future of social media.

What it actually costs to win an Oscar 12.03.2026 29min

The Academy Awards are finally here. The race to win isn’t just about art — it’s also about creating carefully orchestrated, big-budget campaigns. Katey Rich, awards editor at The Ankler and host of the Prestige Junkie podcast, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to win an Oscar, who she thinks will bring home the gold this year, and why — even in an era of streaming and shrinking audiences — the awards machine still matters for the movies we love.

What the Iran war reveals about Trump’s approach to power 05.03.2026 32min

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched a series of military strikes against Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Iran has retaliated, and the conflict has spread across the region. The escalation comes during President Trump’s second term in office, which has already included several instances of military action abroad. To help make sense of this moment, Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders spoke with New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser, coauthor of The Divider, a book about Trump’s first term. They discuss what’s driving Trump’s foreign policy — and what it could mean for America’s role in the world.

Rebroadcast: The truth about Johnson & Johnson 26.02.2026 43min

This is an episode from our archives.For more than a century, Johnson & Johnson has billed itself as one of the most trusted companies in American history. But, in a stunning investigation, journalist Gardiner Harris documents decades of misconduct and malfeasance by the health-care conglomerate. Harris’s book is called No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about why he says the company has “knowingly contributed to the deaths and grievous injuries of millions” through products including baby powder, a fentanyl patch, and a cancer drug. Johnson & Johnson has denied many of these allegations.

“In sickness and in health”: what no one tells you about caring for a loved one 19.02.2026 24min

When she was 28, Laura Mauldin became a full-time caregiver for her romantic partner with leukemia — an experience that exposed how deeply America’s health-care system depends on the unpaid labor of loved ones. Now a disability scholar, Mauldin explores this hidden reality in her new book, In Sickness and in Health: Love Stories From the Front Lines of America’s Caregiving Crisis. She sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to discuss how gaps in the medical system leave families shouldering the burden of care — and how couples navigate that strain while maintaining their sense of partnership and dignity.