Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture podcast.
Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds.
Episodes
Latest Episode
August 14, 2026 · 42m
As generational warfare feeds TV scripts from Beef to Hacks, Emmy nominee Lauren Weedman joins the party to talk about hanging with Gen Z on the Hacks set, the art of scene stealing, and finding main character energy after 50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
More Episodes
Aug 7 · 39m
"Choosin’ Texas" broke the Billboard charts – so why can’t we all agree it’s the Song of Summer? Audie breaks down why the answer may say more about the state of the music industry than Ella Langley. Plus: Boy Throb is Ari’s latest summer music obsession, and he doesn’t care if it’s a psyop. Like what you heard? Sign up for our newsletter to catch up on the latest trends, obsessions and culture. Something in your feed you want us to talk about on the show? Email us a video at engagementparty@cnn.com and we’ll feature you on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 31 · 35m
Writer and chef Eddie Huang joins the party for a conversation about "sad boy" literature, finding love, and the worst relationship advice he's ever received. Like what you heard? Sign up for our newsletter to catch up on the latest trends, obsessions and culture. Something in your feed you want us to talk about on the show? Email us a video at engagementparty@cnn.com and we’ll feature you on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 24 · 47m
The '90s are everywhere these days — clothes, music, TV — and brands are doing everything they can to capitalize on the revival. Audie and Ari explore what’s driving the modern fascination with a decade they lived through, what Gen Z's rose-colored glasses miss about the era, and what they wax nostalgic for (mix tapes!). Plus, comedian Rob Anderson joins Audie to discuss why nostalgia is so damn funny. Like what you heard? Sign up for our newsletter to catch up on the latest trends, obsessions and culture. Is there something in your feed you want Audie and Ari to talk about? Email us a video at engagementparty@cnn.com and we might feature you on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 17 · 38m
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey isn't just a movie — it's an event. Audie and Ari sift through the hype, backlash, and what the online chatter says about the cultural moment. Plus: how Venmo is warping our relationships with money and each other, and why Love Island watch parties rival ones for the World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 10 · 32m
Meta’s trying hard to sell people on its AI glasses, but will partnering with Ray-Ban and celebrities like Kylie Jenner let them shed the pervasive take that they’re creepy and cringe? Plus, why fro-yo’s in the midst of yet another revival, and whether the viral “airport theory” of rolling up to security when you’re flight’s due to board is smart or horrifying (Audie and Ari disagree). About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture video podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 3 · 39m
Is this officially the summer of peptides and celebrity weddings? Audie and Ari consider what Serena Williams’ Wimbledon comeback means for the rise of GLP-1s and the evolution of body positivity. Then they dive into Taylor Swift, our parasocial obsession with celebrity romance, and unveil their official taxonomy of weddings. Finally, what was up with that “tapping” scene in The Devil Wears Prada 2? About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture video podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 26 · 41m
From pop stars like Rosalía and Lilly Allen in habits to nuns blessing Spurs players and praise for the “woke Pope,” Catholicism is in, and everywhere. But is it just about the aesthetics? Plus, why are people celebrating having no friends in their TikTok videos? And are those adorable videos of World Cup fans delighting in America’s air conditioning, oversized servings and ranch dressing for real? About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture video podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 19 · 39m
Amazon's wildly popular "Off Campus" is just the latest in a parade of BookTok-beloved titles to gain new fans as streaming shows, and the pairing of explicit sex and non-toxic masculinity means these aren’t your mom’s rom-coms. And as fans react to Phoebe Bridgers’ announcement of a phone-free arena tour this summer, Audie and Ari debate the merits of locking away devices for live events. Plus, "Wild Card" host Rachel Martin is over menopause-friendly salmon recipes in her feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 12 · 40m
"Obsession" and "Backrooms" are breaking box office records. Audie and Ari dissect both films' YouTube origins, the secrets of their success, and why the whole horror genre is killing it right now. Then, friend of the show Elise Hu helps break down how the "Republic of Wasia" became a meme and a moment, and why not everyone who's mixed-Asian feels included. Plus: Why are tan lines in again? About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture video podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading, and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices