Elise is the host of TED Talks Daily and a host-at large at NPR, where she spent nearly a decade as a reporter. She has reported stories from more than a dozen countries as an international correspondent, and opened NPR’s first-ever Seoul bureau, in 2015. She also created the Gracie-award winning video series Elise Tries. Her experiences in Seoul inspired her debut non-fiction book, Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Previously, Elise helped found The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit digital startup after stops at many stations as a television news reporter. She’s a University of Missouri-Columbia alum, a Council on Foreign Relations member, and on the board of Grist. Her journalism work has won the national Edward R. Murrow and duPont Columbia awards, among others. Find her on Instagram, on TikTok, and her Substack is elisehu.substack.com.
If Books Could Kill
Hands down the podcast that has me laughing out loud the most when I’m stuck in traffic in LA. The hosts take on the big “airport books”, aka, major buzzy self-help bestsellers like Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus, or The Four Hour Workweek and totally unpack the books’ central premises, offer context for why the book might have gone viral, poke holes in the central arguments or roast the authors (when needed). It’s SO GREAT and so smart. Start with the one on the 48 Laws of Power, but really, every episode is a gem.
Today, Explained
Of the daily news podcasts, this is probably the one I listen to the most. I love the approachable vibe of the hosts, and the dives into topics like street parking that illuminate the subject in ways I hadn’t thought about before. I also thought their Today, Explained for Kids episodes during the pandemic were especially helpful for me, a grownup. If you’re not sick of me, I dropped in on this show recently for an episode about better sunscreen.
The Watch
Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan have been talking TV with one another like the old friends they are for gosh, a decade? I remember their early conversations about Breaking Bad back when fresh episodes were still airing. Now I turn to them for their recaps of The Bear, introductions and poking fun at new shows (like Lessons in Chemistry) and gosh, last summer their Succession analysis was 100%.
Who shat on the floor at my wedding?
The premise is summed up in the title. A true “crime” investigation about two brides and one turd. This is incredibly well done with charismatic characters, a great sense of story and a hilarious central mystery to solve.
Pod Save the World
A go-to for me as conflict continues in Europe and the Middle East. Obama administration veterans Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor shed light on the context and players behind various foreign policy situations, and how they intersect with US priorities and administrations. Now that they’re out of government they give unvarnished takes, which I appreciate.
Fat Mascara
Beauty journalists and good friends Jessica Matlin and Jenn Sullivan take on beauty products, procedures, trends and practices with wit and wisdom. They are excellent, thoughtful interviewers and this is beauty podcast that isn’t trying to sell you on more stuff, but instead gets us thinking about how beauty and culture intersect.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar
An engaging, incisive look at something Americans have a hard time discussing — the dynamics of class. This deep dive on the subject introduced compelling characters and went in unexpected directions. If you haven’t gotten into Classy yet, don’t delay.
Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders
I am sadly only able to recommend the back catalog of this vibrant, irreverent pop culture show hosted by my friend and one of my fave podcasters, Sam Sanders. Into It was New York Magazine vertical Vulture’s flagship podcast and it ran for hundreds of episodes over the course of a year before the powers that be quietly canceled it. Check out the Olivia Rodrigo episode for an idea of how rich and expansive a twice weekly show could be.
The Ezra Klein Show
I’ve been introduced to so many ideas and smart thinking that have altered or clarified my worldview from this show. The Ted Chiang interview stands out in my memory. So does an episode from a couple of years ago with the philosopher Agnes Callard. Ditto his conversation with Dan Savage about all the relationship lessons and mores that straights should learn from queers.
TED Talks Daily
What is this show? Just kidding. It’s a fresh talk from TED, each day, introduced by yours truly and sometimes with a bonus a post-talk interview between me and the featured speaker. I’ve been hosting this show since 2020 and it’s such a joy to be part of the TED community, learning about nerdy topics or introducing actionable ideas.
Pocket Casts Blog 