Kelly Corrigan Wonders

We all have things we do to help us manage grief. Today's episode is a look at one of the ways that Kelly handled the loss of her beloved dad, Greenie. In the year following his death, she wrote and sent emails out into the ether - to connect with him in a small but very meaningful way. (Previously aired)

Journalist and author Amanda Ripley cuts through the noise with a startling fact: America is on track for its lowest murder rate since 1960, yet most Americans believe the opposite. Kelly shares insights from Amanda's Substack "Unraveled," examining how we've become so disconnected from reality, why conflict entrepreneurs profit from our fear, and what it would look like if media corrected our biases instead of amplifying them. Amanda points to researchers tracking the actual data on political violence, cancer mortality, and public perception, then asks three simple questions we should answer every time we share a story: How often is this happening? Is it getting better or worse? What can we do about it? The antidote to apocalyptic thinking, she argues, isn't denial—it's action, context, and a willingness to see what's actually there. (Previously aired)
Learn more about Amanda and her work at https://www.thegoodconflict.com/

With the midterms approaching, Kelly wanted to sit down with someone who actually knows how government works — from the inside. Former US Senator Jeff Flake spent 18 years in Congress: twelve in the House and six in the Senate, and he’s no longer running for anything, which means he can say what he really thinks. Recorded at the Aspen Ideas Festival, this conversation goes places most political interviews don’t, into the real cost of principle and the quiet mechanics that actually move legislation. It’s an unfiltered look at what Washington is like when the cameras aren't rolling.
Special thanks to our friends at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Kelly shares a moving piece by her friend Susannah Meadows about the complex relationship she had with her father. Originally published in The New York Times and titled "What My Dad Gave Me," Susannah writes with unflinching honesty about the gifts she received from her father—some welcome, others less so—and how their relationship transformed in his final years. From awkward silences and missed connections to a surprising moment of tenderness in an assisted living dining room, this is a story about how people can change, even stubborn fathers in their nineties. It's a gentle reminder that our most important relationships don't have to be perfect to hold beauty, and that it's never too late for two people who love each other imperfectly to find connection and understanding. (Previously aired)

When someone admits they're struggling at 2 AM, should they have to wait until morning to talk to another human? Kelly shares her TED stage conversation with Dr. Allison Darcy, creator of Woebot, an AI therapy tool used by over 1.5 million people. From questions about who profits when we share our deepest fears to whether perfect AI responsiveness might make us reject messy human relationships, this conversation explores what happens when technology enters our most vulnerable moments. Through reflections on business models, red lines and the surprising ways people use AI as practice for real conversations, Kelly and Allison wrestle with whether these tools are helping us become more human or less—and how we might tell the difference before it's too late. (Previously aired)