Overheard with Evan Smith on Austin PBS

Singer-songwriter Neko Case discusses her difficult childhood, how she found music that led to a genre-spanning career, and she talks about her memoir "The Harder I Fight The More I Love You" and her eighth studio album, "Neon Grey Midnight Green."

Legendary singer-songwriter, visual artist, writer and filmmaker, David Byrne, discusses his career as the founding member of the Talking Heads and his album "Who Is The Sky?" 

Founding member of Grammy Award-winning rock band Wilco, singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy talks about his solo triple album "Twilight Override." 

Best-selling author Mitch Albom discusses his sports writing career, authoring books including "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "Twice." He also talks about the nonprofit organizations he's started in Detroit and Haiti. 

National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi discusses his storied career, racism in America, and his book "Malcolm Lives!: The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers."

Former U.S. attorney and MSNBC legal analyst Joyce Vance discusses the changes in federal separation of powers and her book "Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy."

Former national security advisor John Bolton discusses current politics including Donald Trump, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, China, NATO and border security.

Golden Globe and BAFTA Award-winning film director Richard Linklater discusses current events in his career and his two newest movies, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.

In one of her final television interviews, the world-renowned conservationist and ethologist, Jane Goodall, discusses her legendary career with her groundbreaking studies into the lives of wild chimpanzees. Committed until the end, she recounts her work through the Jane Goodall Institute.

Christopher Cross, a five-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, joins Evan to talk about his long and legendary career, his massive success early in his career, and what the future holds for him.

Dr. Peniel E. Joseph, a lead historian on Black power, discusses the tumult and hope brought on by the civil rights movement, how it relates to the moment America finds itself in right now, and his book, Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution.

Pulitzer Prize-winner and co-host of The Weekend on MSNBC Jonathan Capehart shares stories from his life, career, and his hope for continued progress in America.

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.