Settle In with PBS News

31 Episodes
Subscribe

By: PBS News

Settle in with us each week for in-depth conversations with people we think you should know on topics that help explain the world around us. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

✂️ Turn this podcast into clips
Listen Again: The stories we tell ourselves about America
Yesterday at 5:12 PM

Tressie McMillan Cottom says the second Trump administration has revealed uncomfortable truths about power in America. Today, we're revisiting her episode of Settle In with Geoff Bennett about trust in institutions and how to keep your sense of purpose in an onslaught of news. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Listen Again: Dave Chappelle on Trump and the importance of comedy
06/17/2026

We're revisiting our episode with comedian Dave Chappelle, who sat down with Amna Nawaz in Yellow Springs, Ohio, for a wide-ranging discussion on his concerns around free speech, the importance of local journalism and why he doesn't regret his controversial decision to perform last year in Saudi Arabia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Listen Again: Michael Harriot on this moment for Black history
06/09/2026

We're revisiting our episode with award-winning journalist and writer Michael Harriot, who spoke with Geoff Bennett about his best-selling book, "Black AF History," and what we can learn from Black history today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Listen Again: What happens when extremists come to town
06/02/2026

Journalist Michael Edison Hayden spent years tracking extremism in America. His book, "Strange People on the Hill," is about what happened when a far-right group moved its headquarters to a small town in rural West Virginia. We're revisiting our conversation with Hayden, who spoke with Amna Nawaz about the story and what it can teach us about politics in the U.S. right now. Hayden also shared the personal toll this work has taken on his own mental health and  relationships. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...


Dave Chapelle on Trump and other top moments from Settle In
05/26/2026

Settle In is going on a brief summer break. We're gearing up to return later this summer with more of the candid interviews you've come to enjoy. Until then, here are five of our favorite moments from Settle In so far with Dave Chappelle, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Jon Meacham, Michael Harriot and Lena Dunham. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The young adult author who thinks kids have 'lost the right to be young'
05/19/2026

Soman Chainani's young adult novel series, "The School for Good & Evil," has sold more than 4.5 million copies around the globe and became a hugely popular Netflix movie. In the latest episode of Settle In, he joins Amna Nawaz to talk about what's changing for young people right now — and how to engage them in both reading and the political process. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


How American kids became the pickiest eaters in history
05/12/2026

It's not just your kids. Author and historian Helen Zoe Veit's latest book, , "Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History," explores how U.S. culture has shaped selective palates. In this episode of Settle In, she sat down with Amna Nawaz to discuss what she's learned, including tips and tricks to parents hoping to teach their kids to learn to love more food. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


In Douglas Stuart's new novel, an unbridgeable gap between father and son
05/05/2026

Douglas Stuart won the coveted Booker Prize in 2020 for his debut novel, "Shuggie Bain," about a boy in 1980s working-class Glasgow caring for his mother as she struggled with alcoholism. Geoff Bennett spoke to Stuart about his latest book, "John of John," which follows a young man as he returns to his home in the islands off the coast of Scotland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


How extremism affected this small American town
04/28/2026

Journalist Michael Edison Hayden spent years tracking extremism in America. In this episode of Settle in, he talks with Amna Nawaz about his new book, "Strange People on the Hill," about what happened when a far-right group moved its headquarters to a small town in rural West Virginia – and what it says about U.S. politics right now. Note: This episode was recorded before the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Dave Chappelle on the importance of comedy and journalism
04/21/2026

Comedian Dave Chappelle sits down with Amna Nawaz in Yellow Springs, Ohio, for a wide-ranging discussion on his concerns around free speech, the importance of local journalism and why he doesn't regret his controversial decision to perform last year in Saudi Arabia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Lena Dunham on ambition, fame and illness
04/14/2026

Lena Dunham rapidly rose to fame more than a decade ago as the comedic force behind HBO's breakout hit, 'Girls.' In a new memoir, Dunham candidly, hilariously, and sometimes painfully explores how she balanced celebrity with her struggles with chronic illness, addiction, and trauma. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Patrick Radden Keefe on finding great stories
04/07/2026

Award-winning New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe is the author behind best sellers like "Say Nothing" and "Empire of Pain." His latest book, "London Falling," is a deep dive into the mysterious death of a teenager – and the secret life that came to light after he was gone. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Jon Meacham's warning to those in power
03/31/2026

Jon Meacham is hopeful about the future of America. The presidential historian and bestselling author spoke with Amna Nawaz about why he wrote his latest book, "American Struggle,." which looks back at historical texts and speeches to explore more about who we are today. They spoke about Joe Biden's legacy, the one piece of historical text he thinks we all should read, and how he still finds hope as America marks 250 years. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Geoff Bennett on his new book and the 'golden age' of Black sitcoms
03/23/2026

What sparked the explosion of Black sitcoms in the 1990s, and why didn't it last? Those are some of the questions PBS News Hour co-anchor Geoff Bennett explores in his new book, "Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms." He joins Amna Nawaz for a special episode of Settle In. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The media's year of 'change or die'
03/17/2026

The media and entertainment industries face a period of great turmoil, including unprecedented business and political pressures. Evan Shapiro, the so-called "Media Universe Cartographer," speaks to Geoff Bennett about those challenges and the future. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The explosion of sports betting in America
03/10/2026

Americans legally bet close to $167 billion on sports last year, a dramatic increase since states began to broadly legalize it in 2018. Author and journalist David Hill speaks with Geoff Bennett about the rapid rise of sports gambling and prediction markets — and where regulation is falling short. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


How to fight AI slop, according to Hany Farid
03/03/2026

Pioneering digital forensic expert Hany Farid talks with Amna Nawaz about the dangers of artificial intelligence being deployed irresponsibly, why social media companies prioritize engagement over authenticity and how to sift through what's real and what's not. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Michael Harriot on this moment for Black history
02/24/2026

This Black History Month, award-winning journalist and writer Michael Harriot speaks with Geoff Bennett about his best-selling book, "Black AF History," and what we can learn from Black history today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


How Lincoln would navigate today's politics
02/16/2026

"What would Lincoln do?" Author and historian Matthew Pinsker's substack uses this question as a framework to explore modern politics. He talks with Geoff Bennett about his latest book, "Boss Lincoln," which examines how Lincoln still shapes our country today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


In sports, politics can't be pushed under the table, James Brown says
02/10/2026

Legendary sportscaster James Brown speaks to Amna Nawaz about his childhood, his faith and how he uses his platform to encourage the NFL community to confront controversial issues. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Your guide to the Winter Olympics
02/03/2026

The Olympics are here. Sports journalist Christine Brennan talks with Amna Nawaz about covering 22 consecutive Olympic Games, big moments in Olympic history and the sports and athletes to watch this year. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


How the Challenger disaster changed space exploration
01/27/2026

It's been 40 years since the space shuttle Challenger exploded just after takeoff. Geoff Bennett speaks with science correspondent Miles O'Brien, who covered the aftermath of the disaster, about how it affected the U.S. space program. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The stories we tell ourselves about America
01/20/2026

Tressie McMillan Cottom says the second Trump administration has revealed uncomfortable truths about power in America. She talks with Geoff Bennett about trust in institutions and how to keep your sense of purpose in an onslaught of news. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The science behind small wins
01/13/2026

So you want to change a habit — or maybe start something new. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg's book, "The Power of Habit," explores how habits are made, and the cues and rewards that shape our behavior. He spoke with Amna Nawaz about how to make habits that actually stick as well as his most recent book, "Supercommunicators." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Inside Red Lobster's comeback
12/30/2025

Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun first came to the U.S. as a child after growing up in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands. After stints in finance, he found himself leading restaurant chain P.F Chang's and last year was appointed CEO of Red Lobster just as it emerged from bankruptcy. In this episode of "Settle In," Geoff Bennett speaks to Adamolekun about his journey from being an immigrant to a CEO, the expectations that come with being a young Black executive and how he's leading Red Lobster out of bankruptcy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs...


Why Malcolm Gladwell is always changing his mind
12/23/2025

Author Malcolm Gladwell doesn't trust people who don't change their minds. He sits down with Amna Nawaz to discuss what he's learned through revisiting his first book, The Tipping Point, 25 years later, and how he handles hateful comments online. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The 'Health Nerd' on what we get wrong about science
12/16/2025

Epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, who writes the "Health Nerd" blog, talks with Geoff Bennett about bad scientific data, misconceptions around what we eat, and RFK's "Make America Healthy Again" crusade. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Settle In with Irin Carmon
12/09/2025

Journalist Irin Carmon was eight months pregnant when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the right to an abortion back to state lawmakers. In this episode of Settle In, Carmon tells Amna Nawaz about how her own experience informed her book "Unbearable," which follows five other pregnant women in New York City and Alabama, and how the history of labor and delivery helps explain the fractured health care systems we have today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


The point of being human, according to Nick Offerman
12/02/2025

Geoff Bennett talks with comedian and actor Nick Offerman about his love of woodworking, how it shapes his acting, and his dream role. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Settle In with Andrew Ross Sorkin
11/28/2025

Wall Street titans, politicians and a stock market astrologer star in financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin's new book, "1929." In this episode of Settle In, Sorkin talks with Amna Nawaz about what led to the crash, what we can learn from the aftermath, and the similarities between the tech boom of the Roaring '20s and today's excitement over artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy


Introducing Settle In with PBS News
11/20/2025

Today, we're dropping a sneak peek of our new PBS News podcast, Settle In. Tune in each week for in-depth conversations with people we think you should know on topics that help explain the world around us. Here's a preview of our conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you don't miss the full episode when it drops in the coming weeks. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy