Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Whose imagination do you want to live in? In this new series, bestselling biographer Walter Isaacson sits down with the most consequential names in AI and tech to understand the futures they're racing to build. Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, Fei-Fei Li, Dario and Daniela Amodei, and more open up about their ambitions, what frightens them, how they think about humanity, and what drives them to build so big and so fast. The conversations are intimate, charming, and sometimes chilling. But mostly, they're impossible to dismiss. Because whether or not you agree with them, it's their imagination we're all starting to live in.

ABOUT THE HOST
Walter Isaacson is the bestselling author of biographies of Elon Musk, Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein. He is a professor of history at Tulane University and previously served as CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair and CEO of CNN, and editor of Time. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2023.

IN THIS SEASON
Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX, xAI)
Peter Thiel (Founders Fund, PayPal, Palantir)
Mustafa Suleyman (Microsoft AI, DeepMind)
Dario Amodei and Daniela Amodei (Anthropic)
and more! 

Welcome to Behind The Story Show, a long-form interview podcast hosted by Jelani Gonzalez that goes beyond the headlines to uncover the real journeys behind extraordinary people and powerful ideas.

Each week, Jelani sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, creators, leaders, and change-makers to explore the defining moments, hard-earned lessons, personal challenges, and bold decisions that shaped their path. From business and creativity to leadership, culture, innovation, and reinvention, Behind The Story brings you candid conversations that reveal not just what people achieved, but what it took to get there.

If you are building something, chasing a vision, navigating change, or looking for stories that educate, inspire, and challenge the way you think, this show is for you.

Join us as we go behind the success, behind the struggle, and Behind The Story.

Tired of political headlines that feel like déjà vu? Wondering if you actually need to care about every controversy? This season, Katie’s asking those same questions—and talking to the people who have real answers. From political insiders to sharp-eyed journalists, she’s breaking down what’s worth your attention (and what’s not), with smarts, sanity, and even a little humor. Because none of us can be tuned in 24/7—but we can stay informed without losing our minds. 

Tune in every Thursday and join Katie Couric and her guests for a conversation on NEXT QUESTION.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miss America used to be a national icon. At its peak, the pageant was appointment television, drawing TV audiences that rivaled the Superbowl. 

But now, the crown is slipping.

The organization is at the center of a tabloid courtroom drama.  Two people are claiming to be the rightful owner of the Miss America pageant. And the fight is getting ugly.  

In one corner, a pageant girl boss. In the other, a self-proclaimed Palm Beach billionaire with a controversial past.

After decades of leadership failures and declining interest, today’s scandal is the only the latest in a long line of controversies in the pageant world.

And yet, thousands of young women continue to compete every year. What keeps drawing contestants to an institution that so many former insiders believe has failed them?   

Over the course of 10 episodes, we'll hear directly from former titleholders, participants, and whistleblowers. Hosted by pop culture journalist Bridget Armstrong, Curse of Miss America is an investigation into the unraveling of an American institution. 

“The Oprah Podcast” is a weekly video podcast series featuring talk show host, producer and

philanthropist Oprah Winfrey as she hosts conversations around what matters most to people, available

to view for free on her YouTube Channel, accessible globally for an international audience. Global media

leader Oprah welcomes today’s foremost thought leaders, global newsmakers, best-selling authors,

visionaries and cultural changemakers to explore timely themes including happiness, resilience,

consciousness and connection to help listeners on their journey to lead their best life. Special episodes

of “Oprah’s Book Club” feature Oprah as she sits down with the author of her latest selection in front of

a live audience to discuss the book. In its first year, “The Oprah Podcast” was named a winner by the

Gracie Awards in Digital Media for Video Podcast Host, and was nominated in four categories by the

Ambies for Excellence in Podcasting and nominated for a Webby Award. “The Oprah Podcast” is  

executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tara Montgomery, co- executive produced by Brian Piotrowicz and Brad Pavone.