Season 20 Premiere: Chris Hardwick on Podcasting, Fatherhood & Finding Your Voice

The Buzz kicks off its milestone 20th season with comedian, actor, television host and longtime podcaster Chris Hardwick. In a wide-ranging conversation with NaVell J.

Lee, Hardwick reflects on his return to podcasting, how becoming a father changed his relationship with work, and why questions about quality of life have become more important than chasing the next career high. The two longtime podcasters also look back at how dramatically the medium has evolved since its earliest days—from explaining what a podcast even was and recording episodes onto physical media to today's world of video podcasts and creators carrying entire studios in their pockets.

But the conversation ultimately comes back to something much simpler: listening. Hardwick and Lee discuss abandoning the script when a genuine connection happens, treating guests as people rather than content, and why authentic human moments remain the "secret sauce" of podcasting.

Plus, Hardwick reflects on fatherhood, his upcoming comedy special and the joy of experiencing the world again through his daughter. Season 20 starts here.