Overheard with Evan Smith on Austin PBS

Jason Isbell, a six-time Grammy Award winning musician, discusses his career spanning his time as a member of Drive-By Truckers, his solo work, and his new album, Foxes in the Snow.

Ashley Parker, a three time Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Evan to discuss the magazine's coverage of the Signal group chat, her approach to covering the Trump administration, and her experience at other news outlets.

Katherine Maher, President and CEO of National Public Radio, joins Evan fresh off her testimony in front of Congress to talk about the hearing, NPR's mission, and the perceived bias in public media.

Lawrence Wright joins Overheard once more to discuss his latest novel, The Human Scale, as well as his knack for timely storytelling, and how he hopes fiction can inspire change.

With outbreaks of measles and bird flu dominating headlines, Dr. Celine Gounder, CBS News Medical Contributor, joins to discuss current public health issues and how Americans can keep themselves informed and protected.

Academy Award nominated director Jason Reitman joins Evan to discuss his latest film, Saturday Night, as well as his growth as a filmmaker and his relationship with his legendary father, Ivan Reitman.

David Axelrod, former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama, looks back at the 2024 election, analyzes missteps by the democrats, and discusses the future of the country under Trump's second term.

In a time of government upheaval on the federal level, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett joins Evan to discuss her efforts to challenge and resist it, and offers ideas on how her party should respond as well.

Peabody-award winning journalist Michele Norris examines how her latest book, "Our Hidden Conversations," provides a window into America's views on race during a tumultuous time.

Former FBI agent Frank Figliuzzi discusses his book, Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers, and his career as an investigator at the bureau.

Noah Hawley, creator of the TV series Fargo, joins Overheard to discuss his career in entertainment from novels to movies, and his creative approach to adapting films into series.

Kirk Goldsberry, sports writer and one of the leading experts in basketball analytics, discusses how deep statistical analysis is changing the sport of basketball and how the NBA scouts talent and approaches the game strategically.

Ari Berman, the national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones, discusses his new book, Minority Rule, which charts antidemocratic efforts throughout the nation, chronicling how a wide range of voter suppression tactics threaten the survival of representative government in America.

Douglas Emhoff, second gentleman of the United States, discusses the presidential election, the issues he sees facing the nation, and the future of America. 

Actor and producer Bradley Whitford, from hit shows such as The West Wing and The Handmaid's Tale, joins the program to chat about his long career in film and television and political activism.

Charlie Sykes, the former editor at large of the Bulwark, joins Evan to discuss the changing political climate across the country, particularly on the conservative side. Sykes provides insight on Trump, the election, and the key issues that will sway voters this election cycle.

Comedian Margaret Cho joins Evan to chat about her comedy origins from a young age in San Francisco and how she keeps the passion for stand-up burning years later.

Judy Woodruff, former PBS NewsHour anchor and special correspondent, talks about her career, media, and her new reporting project “America at a Crossroads” as she explores what is at the heart of the great political divide in America.

Longtime tech journalist, podcaster, and author Kara Swisher joins the program with her insight on the people behind the tech industry and artificial intelligence. Swisher's latest book, a memoir, is titled Burn Book: A Tech Love Story.

Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade discusses the age of disinformation, the negative impacts of social media, and her new book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls reflect on their storied musical careers,the changes they've witnessed in the music industry, and their recent resurgence thanks to the Barbie movie.

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, discusses the impact of public television on communities and the way PBS has addressed issues around media, culture, education and technology.    

Bestselling author and award winning biographer Jonathan Eig joins Evan to discuss his book on Martin Luther King, Jr., King: A Life, and the demystification of the man who has been made into a larger than life figure.

Longtime journalist and newspaper editor Martin Baron joins Evan to discuss his storied career in journalism and his first book, Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and the Washington Post which covers the 2016 Presidential Election and Jeff Bezos' purchase of the Post.

Ben McKenzie, star of hit shows like Gotham and Southland, discusses his new book, Easy Money, and the impact cryptocurrency's rising popularity has on everyday people. Ben also reminisces on his career and what got him into acting.

Katie Benner, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and Justice Department reporter for the New York Times, discusses the indictments against former president Donald Trump and the legal fallout of the cases.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper joins Evan Smith to discuss his new book, All the Demons Are Here: A Thriller, and journalism and news media's relationship with truth in the modern age.

In this special episode originally co-produced for 2021 SXSW by SXSW and The Texas Tribune, Evan interviews former President George W. Bush. They discuss current politics, baseball and immigration, the topic of President Bush’s book, “Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants.”

Carol Leonnig is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who has worked at The Washington Post since 2000. She won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for her work on security failures and misconduct inside the Secret Service. She was part of a Post team that was awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for revealing the U.S. government's secret, broad surveillance of Americans through the disclosures of Edward Snowden. She is a three-time winner of the George Polk Award for investigative reporting. She reports on Donald Trump's presidency and investigates Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Leonnig is also an on-air contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. Philip Rucker is the White House Bureau Chief for The Washington Post. He previously has covered Congress, the Obama White House, and the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns. Rucker also is a Political Analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. He joined The Post in 2005 as a local news reporter. Leonnig and Rucker authored A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America which debuted at number one on The New York Times best-seller list. The book tracks the first three years of the Trump presidency relying on intimate, revelatory interviews with first-hand witnesses and including never-before-reported details. 

Rick Wilson is a longtime Republican political strategist, writer, speaker and political commentator. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Everything Trump Touches Dies. His award-winning column with The Daily Beast is a must-read in the political community. Rick also writes for The Washington Post, Politico, Rolling Stone, the New York Daily News, The Hill, The Bulwark and The Spectator. Rick regularly brings his witty political insights to CNN, MSNBC and NPR. He’s a frequent guest on Real Time with Bill Maher. A 30-year veteran of politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush, and has since produced advertising and provided strategic counsel to political candidates and organizations across the U.S. and around the world. His latest book Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump — and Democrats from Themselves was released January 14, 2020.

Senator Bill Bradley served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 – 1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was an Olympic gold medalist in 1964 and a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks from 1967 – 1977 during which time they won two NBA championships. In 1982, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Senator Bradley holds a BA degree in American History from Princeton University and an MA degree from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has authored seven books on American politics, culture and economy, including his latest book We Can All Do Better. Currently, Senator Bradley hosts American Voices, a weekly show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of Americans both famous and unknown. He is also a Managing Director of Allen & Company LLC.

John Cameron Mitchell is a screenwriter, director and actor whose cult rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch won Mitchell Best Director at the Sundance Festival. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor for that same film. His recent Broadway production of Hedwig garnered him Tony Awards for his performance and for Best Revival. Mitchell has directed other films including How to Talk to Girls at Parties starring Nicole Kidman, who was nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole. He is currently touring The Origin of Love: The Songs & Stories of Hedwig, with one reviewer saying the show is “a love letter to Hedwig fans everywhere ... leaving the theater with a crowd of people filled with such love and joy in their hearts.”

Robyn Hitchcock is one of England’s most enduring contemporary singer-songwriters. A surrealist poet, talented guitarist, cult artist, and musician’s musician, Hitchcock is among alternative rock’s father figures. Since founding the art-rock band The Soft Boys in 1976, Robyn has recorded more than 20 albums and starred in Storefront Hitchcock, a concert film recorded in New York and directed by Jonathan Demme.  Rolling Stone said about Hitchcock’s self-titled 2017 album, “A gifted melodist, Hitchcock nests engaging lyrics in some of the most bracing, rainbow-hued pop this side of Revolver. He wrests inspiration not from ordinary life but from extraordinary imaginings.” 

Isabella Rossellini grew up in Paris and Rome. At 19, she moved to New York City to work as a translator and journalist for RAI-Italian Television. She began her modeling career at age 28, and in 1982 began a 14-year run as the exclusive spokesperson for the cosmetic brand Lancome.  Ms. Rossellini, who is the daughter of film legends Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini, made her cinematic debut in 1979. She appeared in films such as Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her and has worked with legendary directors like Robert Zemeckis, David O. Russell, David Lynch, and Taylor Hackford. At age 66, Ms. Rossellini earned her master’s degree in animal behavior and conservation. She is on tour with her theatrical show, Link Link Circus, which deals with animal behavior and cognition. 

John Grisham is the author of thirty-three novels, one work of non-fiction, a collection of stories, and seven novels for young readers. A master of the legal thriller, nine of his novels have been turned into films - The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, The Chamber, A Painted House, The Runaway Jury, and Skipping Christmas. There are currently more than 300 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 40 languages. His 2019 novel, The Guardians, has a strong social-justice component that shows how wrongful convictions happen.  When he’s not writing, Grisham devotes time to charitable causes including serving as the local Little League commissioner. The six ballfields he built on his property have played host to more than 350 kids on 26 Little League teams. 

Scott Pelley has been a journalist for nearly five decades. He is the most awarded correspondent in the history of 60 Minutes, and he is the former anchor of the CBS Evening News. His work has been recognized with three duPont-Columbia Awards, three Peabody Awards, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, and 37 Emmy Awards.  In his memoir, Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter’s Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Time, Pelley recounts the best and worst of his career - stories from 9/11 as he encounters extraordinary heroism, insight to the military fighting in the Middle East and the families they left behind, and the grieving mothers and fathers of Sandy Hook. He gives behind-the-scenes looks at interviews with world-famous people, from Bruce Springsteen to Donald Trump, and examines both the impulse to serve and the arrogance that can sully a leader’s ethical perspective.   

Saeed Jones is the author of Prelude to Bruise, winner of the 2015 PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry and the 2015 Stonewall Book Award/Barbara Gittings Literature Award. The poetry collection was also a finalist for the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as awards from Lambda Literary and the Publishing Triangle in 2015. Jones is a former co-host of BuzzFeed’s morning show, AM to DM, and previously served as BuzzFeed’s LGBT editor and Culture editor. In his debut memoir, How We Fight For Our Lives, Jones tells his story of growing up a young, black, gay man from the South and fighting to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Lewisville, Texas. He earned a BA at Western Kentucky University and an MFA at Rutgers University-Newark. He lives in Columbus, OH.  

Susan Rice began her service in the public sector in 1993. In the Clinton administration, she was a foreign policy analyst on the National Security Council, and assistant secretary of state for African affairs. Under President Barack Obama, she served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and national security advisor. She is currently a distinguished visiting research fellow at the School of International Service at American University, a non-resident senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times.  Rice received a master’s degree and a doctorate in international relations from Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. She released a memoir, “Tough Love,” in 2019 that provides an insider’s look at the White House, foreign affairs, and balancing work with motherhood. 

Aarón Sánchez is an award-winning chef, TV personality, cookbook author and philanthropist.  He is the chef/owner of Mexican restaurant Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, and a judge on FOX’s culinary competition series MasterChef. He co-starred on Food Network’s Chopped and Chopped Junior. A third-generation cookbook author, Sánchez has written three books. His latest is a memoir, Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef. An active philanthropist, Sánchez launched the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund, an initiative empowering aspiring chefs from the Latin community to follow their dreams and attend culinary school. One of the world’s most distinguished Latin chefs, Sánchez is also passionate about preserving his family’s legacy through food and encouraging diversity in the kitchen.

Jeff Tweedy is the Grammy Award-winning founding member and leader of the rock band Wilco. He is one of contemporary American music’s most accomplished songwriters, musicians and performers. Rolling Stone magazine cited Wilco’s 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as the third best album of the decade. Since founding Wilco in 1994, Tweedy has toured solo, produced three albums for iconic soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples, and written a memoir, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back).  Tweedy says Wilco’s latest album, Ode to Joy, is “audacious and sincere.” By focusing on a unique rhythm track and a minimalist instrumental accompaniment, typically acoustic guitar, and pairing that with observant lyrics at once hopeful, morbid, tolerant, and abstract, the band’s vision was achieved.

Tim O’Brien’s acclaimed novels include "The Things They Carried" (an NEA Big Read, which the New York Times said belongs on “the shortlist of essential fiction about Vietnam”), "If I Die in a Combat Zone," "In the Lake of the Woods," and "Going After Cacciato" (which won the 1979 National Book Award in fiction), among others. In 2013 he was awarded the Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. O’Brien was interviewed for Ken Burns’ 2017 documentary series, "The Vietnam War." Most recently he was a co-writer on the Vietnam episodes of the NBC series "This Is Us." His latest book is “Dad’s Maybe Book," where he shares wisdom from a life in letters, lessons learned in wartime, and the challenges, humor, and rewards of raising two sons.

Houston native Tilman Fertitta is an accomplished businessman and self-made billionaire who is often referred to as “the world’s richest restaurateur.” He is the sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment which owns the restaurant giant Landry’s, five Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Fertitta is one of the largest employers in the nation, with more than 60,000 employees. He also is the star of his own reality TV show on CNBC, Billion Dollar Buyer. In his no-holds-barred book, Shut Up and Listen! Fertitta shares advice and strategies to build a successful business. 

Bari Weiss is a writer and editor for The New York Times opinion section. Before joining the Times, Bari was an Op-Ed editor at the Wall Street Journal and an associate book review editor there. For two years, she was a senior editor at Tablet, the online magazine of Jewish news, politics, and culture, where she edited the site's political and news coverage. Bari regularly appears on shows like Morning Joe, The View and Bill Maher. Bari is also the winner of the Reason Foundation’s 2018 Bastiat Prize, which annually honors writing that “best demonstrates the importance of freedom with originality, wit, and eloquence.” Her first book is called "How to Fight Anti-Semitism."

Stacey Abrams is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO and political leader. After serving for eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, and seven as Minority Leader, Abrams became the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia. She won more votes than any other Democrat in the state’s history and was the first black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States. After the 2018 election, Abrams launched Fair Fight to promote fair elections across the country, encourage voter participation and educate voters about elections and their voting rights. Abrams is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the 2012 recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award and a current member of the Board of Directors for the Center for American Progress. She has also written eight romantic suspense novels under the pen name Salena Montgomery, in addition to Lead from the Outside, a guidebook on making real change.

Jeff Flake served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and was then elected to the United States Senate where he served for six years. Working across the aisle, Senator Flake was the lead House Republican in a successful effort to prohibit spending earmarks, and the lead Senate Republican to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. Flake did not seek re-election in 2018 and became a contributor to CBS News. He will be a Resident Fellow at Harvard University during the fall semester of 2019. 

Keb’ Mo’ has cultivated a reputation as a modern master of American roots music in the 25 years since the release of his debut album. After 14 albums, he is a musical force that defies typical genre labels. He has co-written with The Dixie Chicks and collaborated with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Natalie Cole, and Lyle Lovett. His guitar playing inspired two instrument makers to name guitar models in his honor. Mo’s most recent album, Oklahoma, addresses topics such as immigration, depression, pollution, love, female empowerment, and features cameos including Taj Mahal and Roseanne Cash.

Major League pitching legend Roger Clemens got his start at Houston’s Spring Woods High School. He then attended San Jacinto Jr. College and went on to have a successful career as a University of Texas Longhorn. Clemens was the winning pitcher in the final game of the 1983 College World Series.  Roger was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and one year later named Rookie of the Year. Clemens is a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and a twelve-time MLB All Star. He earned 354 wins, 4,672 strike-outs and two World Championship rings during his MLB career with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros. Roger and his wife, Debbie, make their home in Houston. In 1992, the couple established the Roger Clemens Foundation which helps and supports children’s charities from all walks of life.

Terrence McNally is an award-winning playwright and LGBT(Q) activist whose remarkably far-ranging career has spanned six decades. He has won four Tony Awards for his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class and his musical books for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. He is the writer of the book for the musical Anastasia. He was recognized with a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 2019 Tony Awards and wass the 2019 recipient of the Broadway League’s Distinguished Lifetime Service Award. 

Presiding Bishop Curry graduated with high honors from Hobart College in Geneva, NY, and received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University Divinity School. Throughout his ministry, he has been active in issues of social justice, reconciliation, speaking out on immigration policy and marriage equality. Presiding Bishop Curry maintains a national preaching and teaching ministry, having been featured on The Protestant Hour and as a frequent speaker at churches, cathedrals, and conferences around the country and internationally. He delivered a widely praised sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In 2018, Religion News Association named Presiding Bishop Curry religion newsmaker of the year.

Singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Ani DiFranco has been known as the “Little Folksinger” but her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica, and even more distant sounds. Rejecting the major label system, she became one of the first artists to create her own record label, Righteous Babe Records, in 1990. Her collaborators have included everyone from Utah Phillips to legendary R&B saxophonist Maceo Parker to Prince. She has shared stages with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Brown, Billy Bragg, Michael Franti, Chuck D., and many more. Her most recent album Binary was released in June 2017 and her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream was released on May 7, 2019 by Viking Books.

Anna Palmer is a senior Washington correspondent for Politico. She covers Congress, politics and the business of Washington. Jake Sherman is a senior writer for Politico. He covers the House Republican majority. Together, Palmer and Sherman co-authored The Hill to Die On, an insider’s look at divided American politics and the Capitol Hill players battling for power.