Next Question with Katie Couric

Melinda French Gates believes that women’s health has been ignored and underfunded for far too long. Now, she has announced a new $215 million investment focused on reproductive health, menopause, and mental health. Katie and Melinda talk about how we got to this place, how the Trump administration is undermining trust in science, and how better research could transform millions of lives. Melinda also shares her thoughts on reproductive rights, vaccine misinformation, AI's potential in healthcare, global health challenges, and the role philanthropy can play in driving meaningful change around the world.

Laurie Metcalf is one of the most acclaimed actors of her generation, known for bringing extraordinary depth and humanity to every role she takes on. A four-time Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award winner, she has spent decades captivating audiences on stage and screen with performances that are at once precise, vulnerable, and unforgettable.Now, Laurie is earning widespread acclaim—and another Tony nomination—for her portrayal of Linda Loman in Broadway's celebrated revival of Death of a Salesman, which has received 9 Tony Award nominations.In this rare interview, Laurie joins Katie to discuss the enduring relevance of Arthur Miller's masterpiece, what draws her to complex characters, how she approaches the craft of acting, and what she's learned over a career that has spanned television, film, and theater.

Rahm Emanuel has been one of the most influential figures in Democratic politics for decades. He’s served as a congressman, White House chief of staff under President Obama, mayor of Chicago, and most recently, U.S. ambassador to Japan. Now, as Democrats grapple with what went wrong in 2024, Emanuel has emerged as one of the party’s most prominent voices, making the case that Democrats need to rethink their priorities and reconnect with voters. Katie sits down with him to discuss the state of the country under President Trump, the upcoming midterms, how Democrats “lost the plot” (as his kids say), and what he thinks it will take to get his party back on track.

There was a time not so long ago in America when community was something people experienced every day. Kids played on local baseball teams sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. People knew the butcher at the grocery store. Churches, civic groups, and neighborhood businesses gave people a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy believes we’ve lost much of that connection, and that the consequences are reshaping everything from our politics to our mental health. In this live conversation at Judson Memorial Church, Katie talks with Murphy about the ideas at the center of his new book, The Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America, and why he believes rebuilding community is essential to our country’s future.

Brené Brown and Adam Grant have devoted much of their work to helping people better understand conflict, communication, and human behavior. Nevertheless, the two spent years estranged after a 2016 article Grant wrote led to a falling out between them. Now, they’ve reunited for a new podcast, The Curiosity Shop, where they explore complicated and often polarizing questions with humility, nuance, and a willingness to challenge each other in real time. Katie talks with them about repairing their relationship, why so many people struggle to have honest conversations, the impact of social media and outrage culture, and what it takes to stay open-minded in an increasingly divided world.

Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jodi Kantor knows a thing or two about getting to the heart of the matter and in her new book, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work, she's giving advice on how to approach this daunting, AI-driven economy. But Jodi's a multi-hyphenate, so Katie also gets her thoughts on the “post-MeToo” era and her new beat at the New York Times covering the Supreme Court. Luckily she has wisdom (and hope!) for us, on all fronts.