Prince is the subject of a new film from one of the greatest living documentarians, but it might never come out and almost no one’s seen it. We talk to someone who did: editor and writer Sasha Weiss. Meanwhile, the rise in pop star docs can be a good hang for fans, but when a film is a glorified press release, we miss out on a lot, says journalist Matthew Be ... Show More
Today
The book of Mormon influence
From TikTok to reality TV, Mormons are having a big moment in pop culture. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Listen to Today, Explained a ... Show More
30m 48s
Yesterday
Nancy Pelosi explains her optimism
Nancy Pelosi, the longtime speaker of the House, plans to retire later this year at age 86 after trailblazing a path for women in Democratic politics. This episode was produced by Jesse Ash, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, engineered by Shannon Ma ... Show More
27m 28s
Mar 20
The cult of abusive chefs
One of the most influential chefs in the world has been accused of tormenting his staff physically and psychologically. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Andrea López-Cruzado, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and ho ... Show More
25m 39s
Oct 2025
Sunday Special: Springsteen, Dylan and the Art of the Biopic
<p>On Friday, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” will be released in theaters. Rather than chronicling Bruce’s entire life, the film focuses on the making of his stripped-down 1982 album “Nebraska” and on his concurrent mental health struggles.</p><p>This movie is the latest ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2025
Angelina Jolie, Jason Reitman, David Jonsson & An SNL Mount Rushmore
It's another bumper, jam-packed edition of the Empire Podcast this week, folks! The great Angelina Jolie heads up our trio of amazing guests, as she talks to John Nugent about taking on the challenge of playing the legendary opera singer, Maria Callas, in Pablo Larrain's Maria. [ ... Show More
1h 59m
Apr 2025
Eddie Benjamin: Truth, Fear, Working with Willow, Bieber, and Shawn Mende
<p>Wildly talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Eddie Benjamin is a solo artist in his own right — check out his latest single ‘MANIAC’ and his 2023 EP ‘Weatherman’ — but he’s also working behind the scenes (and sometimes on stage, in the case of Shawn Mendes) with everyo ... Show More
1h 19m
Sep 2019
"Like a Prayer" by Madonna
<p>Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone... except for everyone listening to this episode, because we're traveling together through doubt and deliverance with Madonna's "Like a Prayer." Kirk takes a look at the high-contrast drama of the megastar's 1989 megahit, with its c ... Show More
44m 50s
Feb 2025
Is Bob Dylan Still a ‘Complete Unknown’?
<p>Elijah Wald’s 2015 book, “Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the Night That Split the Sixties,” traces the events that led up to Bob Dylan’s memorable performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The book is about Dylan, but also about the folk movement, youth c ... Show More
22m 46s