What Now? with Trevor Noah

Are we optimizing the joy out of our friendships? In Part 1, conflict resolution expert and author Priya Parker joins Trevor and Eugene to explain why your closest relationships actually need a good fight, and how inconveniencing the people you love is the surest way to build intimacy.

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What happens when Michael Che accidentally kicks Trevor Noah out of a New York VIP section? The SNL star joins Trevor and Eugene to revisit their awkward encounter and swap stories about life in comedy, from its unwritten rules to the challenges of navigating fame and mental health. Along the way, they explore the cultural differences between Africans and Black Americans, share stories about some of comedy's biggest legends, and somehow end up debating whether Japanese bidets might be one of humanity's greatest inventions.

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Is it possible Thanos was actually the good guy? Trevor, Eugene, and Devin sit down for a hilarious and unpredictable conversation that tackles everything from the physics of Elon Musk’s flying cars to the true meaning of the Avengers franchise. Trevor pitches his most controversial idea yet: legally mandating robust storylines in all adult films to save humanity's attention spans.

The crew also unpacks the hidden dopamine cycle of theme parks, exploring why buying a fast pass to skip the line actually destroys the psychological thrill of the roller coaster and how that demand for instant gratification is changing the way kids experience video games. Plus, Devin shares the unbelievable true story of his parents surviving a fiery 1982 plane crash, sparking a massive debate on why society easily swears off airplanes and motorcycles, but will never stop driving cars.

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Are you expecting too much from the wrong people? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant joins Trevor and Eugene to explore why making real friends can be so difficult, how power dynamics shape our relationships at work, and why even our closest connections can leave us disappointed. Adam breaks down the three kinds of relationships we all need and explains why confusing them can create unnecessary tension in our lives. It's a funny, thought-provoking conversation about friendship, expectations, and why building stronger relationships might start with understanding what we actually need from one another.

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Comedian Gary Gulman joins Stephen Dubner in this preview of an episode from the Freakonomics Radio creator's new show, Better in Person. Watch Better in Person on the Freakonomics Radio Network YouTube channel.

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What happens when one of the biggest stars in wrestling history decides to completely start over?

John Cena isn't who you think he is—and in this raw, deeply reflective sit-down with Trevor and Eugene, he proves it. From facing the fear of losing everything to questioning society’s obsession with success, the WWE legend turned bonafide movie star delivers a masterclass in self-awareness, aging, and what is takes to evolve beyond the roles that define us. He also opens up about his most personal choices, from why he doesn't want kids to healing his relationship with his father, before offering a powerful mindset shift on why we should replace the word "deserve" with "earn".

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What does it actually take to stay relevant for four decades without losing your soul?

Before he was a hip-hop icon, LL Cool J was just a kid riding mini bikes and dreaming big. Decades later, he joins Trevor and Eugene to reflect on the wild journey—sharing unforgettable encounters with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, the family values that kept him grounded, and why true reinvention requires dropping your ego. Plus, LL breaks down why intuition is God’s voice, why cynicism is just cowardice in disguise, and how he turned his grandfather’s belief into his legendary debut album, Radio.

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What makes a joke work, and why are we so afraid to have real conversations? British comedian Jimmy Carr joins Trevor and Eugene to break down the mechanics of comedy, the rise of AI, and what we’re losing as human connection becomes harder to find. Jimmy shares how making his depressed mother laugh helped launch his career, what writing a book about the structure of jokes taught him about being funny, and why dark humor can help us confront the things that scare us most. It’s a funny, surprisingly vulnerable conversation about comedy, technology, and why making each other laugh may be one of the most human things we do.

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Colin Kaepernick tells the parts he's never told: what NFL owners said in the room, the offer made while he was being blackballed — and the Jay-Z call that never happened.

In this episode of What Now?, Colin sits with Trevor and Eugene for the full story: adopted into a white family in Turlock, the hair that became an identity, the backup who took a team to the Super Bowl in his 10th start — and the protest that cost him everything.

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Sizwe and Eugene are not letting Trevor get a hair transplant without a fight. What starts as a beard debate spirals into elbow grafts, foreskin logistics, and the exact wingspan-to-height ratio you'd need after leg-lengthening surgery. Trevor makes an unexpectedly convincing case for Elon Musk as pure talent wrapped in pure bamboozlement, and the three rank which movies actually change how you see the world -- plus Trevor's borderline-scientific approach to watching them on a plane. Then it turns real: xenophobia, why nuance doesn't sell, and who a mob actually protects when it picks a target.

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Why do your shoes always fly off in a car accident? Trevor, Eugene, and Khaya chase that question straight into Eugene’s own wild motorbike crash story, involving a T-bone, a second accident two days later, and somehow living to tell the tale. From there, the conversation takes its usual unexpected turns, from South African taxi stickers and quick funerals to a rumor involving Stevie Wonder and Nelson Mandela. And the guys take a moment to remember Dolly Parton, reflecting on the music, humor, and humanity that made her so beloved.

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Are you constantly overwhelmed by your to-do list? Obsessed with productivity hacks? Always feel like you’re falling behind? Trevor and Eugene sit down with author and journalist Oliver Burkeman to rethink our relationship with time, success, and control. They unpack why perfectionism can make us miserable, the surprising value of “good procrastination,” and why choosing what to fail at might actually be a good thing. Along the way, they explore the psychology behind our social media facades, how modern conveniences have made us less patient, and whether the secret to getting more out of life might be accepting that we can’t do everything.

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Does the language you speak shape how you see the world? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky joins Trevor, Eugene, and Dave to explore how our native tongue can influence everything from our personalities to who we blame when things go wrong, and why bilingual people can feel different depending on which language they're speaking. They dive into cultures that navigate using north, south, east, and west instead of left and right, the relationship between language and thought, and why we're all susceptible to the illusion that we're better at communicating than we actually are. It’s a funny, mind-expanding conversation about how the words we use may shape far more of our world than we realize.

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Tracee Ellis Ross has spent a lifetime forging an independent identity. She regales Trevor and Eugene with stories of growing up in the embrace of her iconic mother, Diana Ross, building her own beauty empire with Pattern and starring on Broadway. Together, the three candidly dissect the societal pressures women face to be "chosen," the racial biases of '90s television, and how to reclaim your agency in work and love.

Packed to the brim with lessons on life, love, and picking the perfect heirloom tomato, this episode is a masterclass in belonging to yourself.

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Wil Sylvince is back, and the conversation goes exactly where you'd expect and nowhere you could predict. Trevor, Eugene, Dave, and Wil bounce from pop culture debates and comedy tangents to a candid conversation about the health journey that changed Wil's life. Along the way, they tackle everything from misheard Rihanna lyrics and the Michael Jackson biopic to awkward relationships, before settling the only debate that really matters: which Michael Jackson songs belong at the very top.

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Estee Adoram is a comedy legend. You've never seen her on a stage, but every comedian you love has had to earn her approval. This week, Trevor, Eugene, and Dave sit down with the legendary talent booker of New York City’s famous Comedy Cellar to talk about her four decades discovering comedic talent. Together, they discuss what it takes to spot greatness before anyone else, how the Cellar has maintained its singular reputation, the evolution of stand-up, the line between comedy and a soapbox, and which rising comedians have her attention today.

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This week, famed chef and author Asma Khan joins Trevor and Eugene for a conversation that shreds traditional fine-dining elitism to pieces. The trio discusses Asma’s upbringing in India, the frustration of over-complicated modern technology, and how she discovered her passion for cooking through pure homesickness after moving to England. Between tales of hitting cheating childhood friends with cricket bats and surviving Cambridge’s soul-crushingly bad food, Asma gets real about how food is truly about identity, storytelling, and dismantling imperialist garbage.

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The FIFA World Cup 2026 has come to an end. In this final bonus episode, Trevor and Joe break down Spain's dramatic extra-time victory over Argentina to become world champions. They also look back at the tournament's biggest moments and standout players, pull no punches in their critique of England's football culture and France's tactical shortcomings, and look ahead to the sport's next generation. Closing out their six-week run, Joe gets emotional reflecting on his broadcasting debut, and he and Trevor express their gratitude for an unforgettable summer of football.

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This week, Trevor and Eugene are joined by comedian Tina Friml for a hilarious and surprisingly moving conversation. Tina talks about growing up with cerebral palsy, how Vermont's theater scene led her to stand-up, and the moment she realized the world saw her disability differently than she did. Along the way, the three swap stories about dating, social media, life on the road, and why the best comedy often comes from life's most uncomfortable moments.

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In the penultimate episode of this World Cup bonus series, Trevor and Joe break down a dramatic quarterfinal round, from England's tense victory over Norway to the bizarre "Cable of God" skycam controversy that had everyone talking. Along the way, they debate the nuances of the World Cup draw, what truly makes a football team great, and look ahead to the semifinals. Plus, Joe-stradamus returns with bold predictions, backing Argentina to reach the final and Spain to overcome France in a clash of contrasting styles.

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