Next Question with Katie Couric

Just as Facebook was on the verge of becoming Meta Platforms, Inc. in late 2021, a scathing series of articles was published by the Wall Street Journal. The reporting was based on internal documents that detailed the ways Facebook’s platforms “are riddled with flaws that cause harm, often in ways that only the company fully understands.” The source for these internal documents — some tens of thousands of pages — became known as The Facebook Whistleblower.  The name behind these revelations is ex-Facebook product manager Frances Haugen. 

On this episode, Haugen reveals why she came forward, what she hopes to accomplish with her new book, The Power of One, and what she sees as the perils — and promise — of an ever-changing technology landscape that requires transparency to keep itself honest.

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On this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, produced in partnership with Ally and Katie Couric Media, Katie sits down with Ally’s Jack Howard, Senior Director of Financial Health and Wellness. Together, they discuss how our emotions around money come from our past and make up our “money stories.” These narratives find their way into our attitudes about money, and can wreak havoc in our relationships. Kiersten and Julien Saunders, founders of Rich and Regular, offer helpful advice about how couples can avoid these pitfalls; by understanding each other’s money stories better, couples have a much better chance of writing their own financial happy ending.

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Geena Rocero is known as a storyteller, a supermodel, and an activist, who decided after nearly a decade in the public eye that she could no longer live under the burden of her greatest secrets.  So she revealed them all.

In her new memoir, Horse Barbie, Geena recounts her journey from extremely humble beginnings in the Philippines to headlining fashion runways all over the world - all while hiding her truth. She reveals to Katie the years-long terror she felt of being outed as a transwoman, and the fear that her career as a supermodel would be crushed if anyone were to find out.

Geena discusses why support from the matriarchs in her life - from the mother who raised her to the drag mother who helped her flourish - are the reason she can now be a light for others, through her activism and community outreach work.  In this thought-provoking conversation, Geena illustrates why coming out about who you are can often be the only way to live a life that matters.

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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For author Judy Blume, writing is about making connections. Her genius has always involved finding a path into the intimate spaces of her readers’ hearts; it’s the very thing that drove her to write. Now, at 85, she’s reaching her third generation of readers — and she’s connecting as powerfully as she did in the late 1960s when her first book was published. A new documentary, Judy Blume Forever, explores this phenomenon, and the deep cultural reach of her books. On this episode of Next Question, Katie chats with the incredibly energetic Judy Blume, as well as the doc’s directors, Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, about the power of books as a force for transformation, identity, disruption, escape, and revolution. They discuss why Judy’s books have been embraced and feared, and why the connections she has made are just as strong as ever — even though there are people who would like to silence her altogether.

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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Senator Amy Klobuchar believes that a certain amount of optimism is essential in overcoming obstacles, “Whether it’s through an illness, or whether it’s through trying to get a bill through congress.” And she’s had more than her share of experience with both. On this episode of Next Question, Katie and Senator Klobuchar talk about her getting-things-done mindset, and how it found its way into the pages of her new book, The Joy of Politics: Surviving Cancer, a Pandemic, a Campaign, an Insurrection, and Life’s Other Unexpected Curveballs. While the Senator has been through a lot the past few years, she’s well aware that she’s not alone. Now, she’s ready to rejoice in the comeback. 

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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When Academy-Award winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim set out to make Still, a film about Michael J. Fox, he imagined he’d be making a hybrid documentary/80s movie. What he discovered along the way, however, was something deeper: his subject is far more than an iconic mega-star — Michael is an inspiration. After decades of living with the degenerative and debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease, Michael J. Fox reveals his personal philosophy: “With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.” Katie’s conversation with Michael and Davis is funny and revealing, and traces the highs and lows of creating a film about an incurable optimist trying to overcome an incurable disease. 

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin has covered Some of the most notorious figures in U.S. history. Now, in his book “Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of RIght-Wing Extremism,” Toobin takes on the man behind the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Toobin puts the incident into historical context by tracing the roots of McVeigh’s actions from the standoff at Ruby Ridge, to President Clinton’s ban on assault weapons, and all the way through the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In this episode of Next Question, he tells Katie, “That's why I wrote Homegrown to show that [McVeigh] was not an aberration. And that his legacy lives on in both people and ideas that are persistent to this day.”

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For so many women, menopause is a mystery. Its symptoms can be wide-ranging and last for years, and information about treatments can be confusing - where it exists at all. To make things even more challenging, healthcare providers are often less-than-helpful when it comes to finding solutions.  Our guests today are here to help: New York Times writer Susan Dominus’ recent article, “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” was an immediate viral sensation, becoming a valuable resource on the latest research and treatments. Her reporting also resonated for another reason: the symptoms women experience are finally being taken seriously. Dr. Rebecca Brightman, a gynecologist from New York City specializing in menopausal medicine, joins the conversation to share what she’s learned throughout her years of treating women facing this life-altering transition. Plus: our guests answer questions submitted by you, our listeners.

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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If 87% of people are sick and tired of being divided we have more in common than we think. Daniel Lubetzky — philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and founder of the Kind company — is committed to understanding how we can come together to solve our most intractable problems. As a Mexican immigrant and son of a Holocaust survivor, Daniel believes fervently in our ability to overcome obstacles like hatred; he built his non-profit, Starts With Us, to help us find common ground. This episode also features Columbia psychology professor, Peter Coleman. His book “The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization,” offers concrete tips on what each of us can do to achieve what so many of us want: solutions. 

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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The hosts of the hit podcast, Teenager Therapy – Gael Aitor, Kayla Suarez, and Thomas Phamm – have been making a difference in the lives of their young audience for nearly five years. Now, on the verge of turning 20, they share the wisdom they’ve discovered along the way – and it might surprise you. They believe that the best relationships happen IRL, friendships require a lot of work, and the best way to reach teens is by using one of the most powerful communications tools there is (and they should know): vulnerability. Their openness will allow you to see how much teens’ lives have changed – and give you new insight into the mental health crisis that affects so many of them right now.

Want to be a know-it-all? Subscribe to Wake Up Call, our jam-packed newsletter. Monday through Saturday, we break down the top news stories of the day, answer your pressing questions, and scour the internet for the best entertainment tidbits, streaming recommendations, recipes, and health and wellness tips. To sign up, go to katiecouric.com, or click here.

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