Now What? With Carole Zimmer
Conversations with extraordinary people about their lives and how they navigate all the bumps in the road.
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A Conversation with Amy Irving
04/15/2025
A Conversation with Amy Irving
Amy Irving’s film career soared in the 1980s. She was featured in the film Yentl, a role that earned her an Academy Award nomination. In the movie Crossing Delancey, Irving plays a single woman who falls in love with a pickle merchant. In real life, Irving married Steven Spielberg, a relationship that ended in divorce. She co-starred with Willie Nelson in the film Honeysuckle Rose and that was the beginning of a life-long friendship with Nelson. Irving’s career has shifted away from acting and towards music. She’s got a new album which features Willie Nelson covers. It’s called Always Will Be. I spoke to Amy Irving at her home in Westchester about singing as a second act and what it’s like to be an older woman in Hollywood. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With E.A. Hanks
04/01/2025
A Conversation With E.A. Hanks
Elizabeth Anne Hanks is a writer. She’s also the daughter of Tom Hanks. Her mother Susan was married to Tom Hanks before he became a movie star. Elizabeth grew up with her mother and older brother in Sacramento while her dad’s career in Hollywood took off with lead roles in movies like Big and Forrest Gump. Elizabeth could relate to something the character of Forrest said in the film. "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” What Elizabeth got is a childhood she writes about in her memoir called The 10. It’s the story of being raised by a mentally ill mother and forging a close relationship with her father. “Now What?’ is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Pico Iyer
03/18/2025
A Conversation With Pico Iyer
Pico Iyer is a travel writer and a novelist who has spent time in far flung places like Ethiopia, Tibet, North Korea, Bhutan and Nepal exploring the history, culture and food of diverse cultures. In contrast to his life on the road in places, Iyer is now spending more time exploring his inner life. That’s what his latest book called Aflame Is all about. Several times a year, Iyer visits a Benedictine monastery in Big Sur which he finds to be a refuge from the crowded noisy world he usually inhabits. Iyer examines the benefits of just sitting still and doing nothing. We talk about Iyer’s relationship with the Dalai Lama and with singer Leonard Cohen when Cohen was a Buddhist monk living on a mountaintop. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Jeffrey Toobin
03/04/2025
A Conversation with Jeffrey Toobin
Pardons are about presidential power. Many presidents wait until the end of their term to issue them. Not Donald Trump. He has pardoned more than 1500 people who took part in the assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. President Trump has also issued more than 70 executive orders, another instrument of presidential power. They focus on shrinking the government, imposing tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada and freezing foreign aid. Many of these actions are facing lawsuits and judicial rulings. So, what will the federal government look like when the dust settles? I talk to legal scholar Jeffrey Toobin about the future of American democracy and his new book The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Laraine Newman
02/17/2025
A Conversation with Laraine Newman
Picture this. It was my first job in radio. I decided to do a series about women and comedy. The idea coincided with the birth of Saturday Night Live. The first interview: Gilda Radner. We sat on the floor, right across from Studio 8H where the show is still performed. Gilda told me all about what life is like when you become an overnight star. Then I talked to Jane Curtin about people asking her for autographs when she walked her dog. Somehow, in those years I missed talking to Laraine Newman. But I finally just caught up with her. And she’s the star of this episode. It's an outrageous conversation about SNL and all the things that have happened to her since. Plus, you’ll hear what Gilda and Jane had to say from those early day sit-downs. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Rick Steves
02/04/2025
A Conversation with Rick Steves
Rick Steves is a travel writer who’s on a mission. His name appears on guidebooks to nearly every country on the continent including Croatia and Slovenia as well as France and Italy. His television series Rick Steves Europe debuted on PBS 25 years ago. Steves advises travelers to get off the beaten trail and head for villages where they can see the way local people really live. He’s also a passionate advocate for legalizing marijuana. Steves’ new book is called On the Hippie Trail. It’s a detailed journal about a trip he took from Istanbul to Kathmandu when he was 23 years old. I talked to Rick Steves about exotic lands, marijuana, travel and mortality. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Alan Lightman
01/20/2025
A Conversation with Alan Lightman
Alan Lightman likes to look at things very closely. Lightman is a physicist at MIT who has written 7 novels including the best-selling Einstein’s Dreams. Lightman, who writes poetry in his spare time, calls himself a spiritual materialist. That’s a belief that you can find the spiritual within the realm of science. Lightman was also the host of the PBS television series Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science. His latest book is called The Miraculous from the Material. It contains essays about the marvels of the universe like Mandarin fish, the northern lights and the Rings of Saturn. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Maira Kalman
01/07/2025
A Conversation With Maira Kalman
Maira Kalman is one of those multi-talented people. She writes children’s books and books for adults. She’s also a contributor to the New York Times. She creates covers for the New Yorker and sets for operas Her latest work is a book of essays called Still Life with Remorse that includes family stories and paintings she’s done. It also includes vignettes about historical figures like Leo Tolstoy and Franz Kafka. In fact, Kalman likes to dress up as these characters like Kafka and make little films about them. Her son Alex shoots the movies. They’re very funny. We laugh about a lot of crazy things that happen in life on the new episode of “Now What?”
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The Best of "Now What" 2024
12/25/2024
The Best of "Now What" 2024
We're speeding towards the end of the year, a time for remembering and reflecting. When I think of "Now What?" I think of the extraordinary people I was privileged to speak with this year and that’s why this episode is a Best Of. Jane Fonda, who just celebrated her 87th birthday, shared a lifetime of experiences including information about her sex life. And when you talk about inspiring, there’s no one who shines like Suleika Jaouad. The best-selling writer and painter talks about how an illness she’s been dealing with since she was in her early 20s, has taught her to live in the present. Actor, writer, producer Griffin Dunne tells his story about the triumphs and tragedies of growing up in a celebrity family. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Rabbi Andy Bachman
12/09/2024
A Conversation with Rabbi Andy Bachman
I first met Andy Bachman when he was a rabbinical student and he tutored my son Jon for his bar mitzvah. Bachman later served as Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim, the reform synagogue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. In August, Bachman was supposed to participate in a discussion at the Powerhouse Arena bookstore. When he arrived, he found a sign in the window that said the event had been cancelled. Bachman later found out the discussion had been called off because he’s a Zionist. This is an important conversation about intolerance, war and political divisions. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Amanda Palmer: Re-Release
11/26/2024
A Conversation with Amanda Palmer: Re-Release
She used to make her living standing in Harvard Square as a statue known as the Eight Foot Bride. Then Amanda Palmer founded the punk cabaret band The Dresden Dolls. And she’s not afraid to tell you what’s on her mind. Palmer shares her feelings online and when she performs on stage. Her fans are passionate about the musician and the person. Palmer has more than 24,000 supporters on Patreon. She’s recently been named an honoree of the She Rocks Awards which recognizes women who have broken barriers in the music industry. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Gracie and Rachel
11/12/2024
A Conversation With Gracie and Rachel
Gracie and Rachel met in high school and they’ve been playing music together ever since. You can hear the connection they feel with one another in their lush harmonies, haunting melodies and lyrics that express vulnerability and emotional depth. Gracie and Rachel tour extensively and record on Grammy-winning singer Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records. I spoke to them in the Brooklyn loft where they live and create their work. At the end of our conversation, Gracie sat down at the piano and Rachel picked up her violin. They treated us to a live performance of Ideas, a song about empowerment and change from their album Hello Weakness, You Make Me Strong. ”Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Garrison Keillor
10/29/2024
A Conversation With Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor spent 42 years as the host of “A Prairie Home Companion, a folksy show that was performed live on Saturday nights and broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations. Keillor, who likes to wear red sneakers, brought his audience news from Lake Wobegon, a fictional town in the state of Minnesota where he grew up. He also performed in skits where he played Guy Noir, Private Eye. Keillor likes to sing patriotic songs and recite poetry. He’s also written more than 15 books and many articles for the New Yorker. Keillor is currently at work on a novel which he says he better finish fast. “I’m 82. I don’t have time to write Moby Dick.” “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Don Lemon
10/15/2024
A Conversation With Don Lemon
He worked for CNN for 17 years. One day last year Don Lemon woke up to find out he he’d been fired. He’d won Emmys for his reporting and also hosted Don Lemon Tonight where he talked about controversial topics with politicians and newsmakers. It was after Lemon began co-hosting a morning show that he ran into trouble. He made a comment about a former Republican Presidential candidate in a discussion about age: “Nikki Haley is not in her prime, sorry.” After leaving CNN, Lemon made a deal with Elon Musk to host an exclusive show on X. That fell apart and Lemon’s show is now streaming on digital platforms and YouTube TV. He’s also written a book called I Once Was Lost about his Christian faith. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Stan Milford Jr.
10/01/2024
A Conversation With Stan Milford Jr.
Stan Milford is a Navajo Ranger who spent more than a decade investigating paranormal activities. Milford says he examined hauntings, witchcraft and skinwalkers. He also looked into reports involving dozens of witnesses who claim to have seen a creature known as Bigfoot on the Navajo reservation, an area of 27,000 miles that runs through 4 states. Milford says he took the reports of all these incidents seriously and understands that the people who experience them can be deeply affected by what they’ve seen. Milford, who describes himself and his partner as a real-life X-files team has written a book about a lifetime of mysterious occurrences called The Paranormal Ranger. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With David Rohde
09/17/2024
A Conversation With David Rohde
David Rohde is a National Security reporter for NBC News and a longtime foreign correspondent. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the war in Bosnia. When Rohde was a reporter for the New York Times, he was kidnapped by the Taliban and held for 7 months before he managed to escape. Rohde's latest book is called Where Tyranny Begins. He looks at all the ways in which former President Donald Trump tried to interfere with the Department of Justice including the FBI. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Griffin Dunne.
09/03/2024
A Conversation with Griffin Dunne.
Griffin Dunne grew up in Beverly Hills in a family of storytellers. His father Dominick was a celebrity journalist. His uncle, the screenwriter John Gregory Dunne was married to the Pulitzer prize-winning writer Joan Didion. Griffin starred in Martin Scorsese’s 1985 black comedy "After Hours" and he made a movie with Madonna called "Who’s That Girl?" He also played Uncle Nicky in the streaming series "This is Us." Griffin has written a memoir called The Friday Afternoon Club which is a great read. We talk about family triumphs and family tragedy. And we also have plenty of laughs on this episode of “Now What?” which is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Charles Busch: Re-Release
08/19/2024
A Conversation With Charles Busch: Re-Release
Charles Busch made a name for himself as a playwright and a leading lady in drag with productions like the off-Broadway cult classic Vampire Lesbians of Sodom. Busch was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame for his Tony-award winning play The Allergist’s Wife. He appeared in the TV show Oz where he plays a cross-dressing homosexual. When it comes to playing male roles, Busch says he’s nothing great. It’s when he puts on gowns and wigs that he feels like a star. Sitting in his duplex apartment with his famous closet filled with sparkly gowns, we talk about his memoir Leading Lady and what it was like to be a sex worker before becoming an overnight sensation on stage. We had so much fun, so many laughs. And you will, too. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta. Photo Credit: Nick Ciavatta
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A Conversation with Susan Seidelman
08/06/2024
A Conversation with Susan Seidelman
She’s a film director who made a movie called Desperately Seeking Susan. It’s a caper that revolves around mistaken identity starring Rosanna Arquette and a then unknown Madonna. Seidelman went on to direct She Devil with Meryl Streep in her first comedic role. But Hollywood is a tough place for women directors. Nora Ephron came on the scene and directed Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail in the 1990s. And 25 years later Greta Gerwig had a big hit with Barbie. Seidelman eventually started working in TV, directing the pilot episode of a series that was to become a cultural icon, Sex and the City. We talk about sexism, ageism and the challenge of staying on top of your game. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Stacey Maltin. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Chelsea Devantez
07/23/2024
A Conversation With Chelsea Devantez
Chelsea Devantez is a writer and comedian who has a good time being outrageous. She grew up in a family that moved around a lot when she was a kid. They never had much money. She was a victim of domestic violence. Chelsea had always wanted to be an artist. And her dream came true when she was hired to perform as part of the improv team at Second City in Chicago. Chelsea got her next dream job when Jon Stewart hired her to be the head writer of his streaming series The Problem with Jon Stewart. Now, she produces original comedy projects at 20th Century Studios and she’s written a memoir called I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This. We talk about all the things she shouldn’t be telling us. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Chuck D
07/09/2024
A Conversation With Chuck D
I started to think a lot about music when I knew I’d be talking to Chuck D, the rapper and frontman of Public Enemy. Some critics point to the group as a revolutionary voice in hip hop. Chuck D and Flavor Flav formed Public Enemy in 1985. Their songs became known for political messages on albums like Fear of a Black Planet. But in the decades since becoming a legendary rapper, Chuck D has developed his talent as an artist illustrating 3 graphic books. His latest, Rap Pilates, is about the exercise he credits with helping him to perform high-energy concerts. We talk about drawing, creativity and changing the world. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Nick Kristof
06/25/2024
A Conversation With Nick Kristof
Ever since he was a kid, Nick Kristof dreamed of being a foreign correspondent. And that’s what he spent decades doing, traveling to more than 150 countries to cover conflicts and crises. Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his reports on the deadly Tiananmen Square protests and for columns focusing attention on genocide in Darfur. Kristof has also been called the moral conscience of a generation. We talk about all the close calls and terrifying moments he describes in his new memoir Chasing Hope. And we talk about why he’s an optimist in a world torn apart by conflict. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Gail Godwin
06/11/2024
A Conversation With Gail Godwin
Gail Godwin has written 18 books. Many of her novels were best sellers including Evensong. Three of them were finalists for the National Book Award. Her book Grief Cottage features a boy who has a relationship with a ghost. Godwin says she herself has seen ghosts. When she was a reporter, an apparition dressed in a medical uniform used to visit her in the middle of the night. Godwin’s new book is a memoir. It opens with the story of how the writer, who’s 87, went into her back yard to water her dogwood tree, wound up falling on her face and breaking her neck. We talk about how curiosity saved her in her darkest moments. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Jhumpa Lahiri
05/28/2024
A Conversation With Jhumpa Lahiri
Writer Jhumpa Lahiri grew up in Rhode Island after her family emigrated from India when she was a toddler. Her first language was Bengali and she spoke English in school. When she was 32, Lahiri won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her first book Interpreter of Maladies. It was an honor but it also put a lot of pressure on her as a writer. Then Lahiri fell in love with the Italian language and when she moved to Rome, she discovered a kind of freedom. Now, Lahiri writes her books in Italian. Her latest work of fiction is called Roman Stories. We talk about identity, culture and what it’s like to live between 2 different worlds. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation with Carrie Sun
05/14/2024
A Conversation with Carrie Sun
What’s it like to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year working as the personal assistant to the billionaire founder of a famous hedge fund? Pretty tough according to writer Carrie Sun. Sun’s memoir Private Equity tells the story of working 24/7, being at the beck and call of a demanding boss and feeling so stressed that she developed an eating disorder. There are also the perks like a $2500 gift certificate to Soul Cycle, a Derek Lam coat worth $6,000, surfing trips to Montauk and a bird’s eye view of the world of the ultra-rich. We talk about what you owe your job, how that fits with your personal values and what to do when you feel you’re wasting your life. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Frank Bruni
04/30/2024
A Conversation With Frank Bruni
Frank Bruni used to be a restaurant critic for the New York Times. Now, he’s a Contributing Opinion writer for the paper and a Professor of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University. Bruni has written a book called The Age of Grievance about what’s going on in Trump World and the MAGA Universe. One of his theories is that the people who are the most furious feel they’re losing because someone else is winning. We talk about the erosion of democracy in our country and why so many people seem to be so ticked off. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A conversation With Brett Gelman
04/16/2024
A conversation With Brett Gelman
You may know him from his role as Murray Bauman in Stranger Things and as Martin in the BBC comedy Fleabag. Brett Gelman has dreamed of being a famous actor since he was a child growing up in Highland Park, Illinois, where he wanted to make the other kids laugh and wound up feeling like an outcast. Gelman has written about his childhood and his neuroses in a book called The Terrifying Realm of the Possible. He’s run into problems publicizing the book after making impassioned speeches about his support for Israel in the conflict with Gaza. Get ready for a heated discussion (and laughs). “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Bill Bradley
04/02/2024
A Conversation With Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley is one of those wildly talented people, a star athlete with a brilliant mind. He went to Princeton University where he was the 1965 NCAA champion of the year. Then it was on to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. But basketball still called to him and he joined the New York Knicks, playing on the dream team which won two NBA championships. After life on the court, Bradley decided to try politics and was elected to the U.S. Senate from New Jersey where he served three terms. Bradley has made a film about the many chapters of his life called Rolling Along. “Now What? is produced with help from Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Ed Begley Jr.
03/19/2024
A Conversation With Ed Begley Jr.
As a child, Ed Begley Jr. watched his dad act in films like Sweet Bird of Youth, a role that earned him an Oscar. His father’s career inspired the younger Begley to go into acting where he has appeared in hundreds of films and TV shows including Better Call Saul and Young Sheldon. In his twenties. Ed Begley, Jr. drank too much and abused drugs. Addiction is now in his past. Begley is also a passionate environmentalist. He took public transportation to the Oscars ceremony which his daughter Hayden filmed and posted on Tik Tok where it’s gotten more than 6 million views. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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A Conversation With Lucy Sante
03/05/2024
A Conversation With Lucy Sante
Lucy Sante is a well-known author and critic who has written more than 10 books. Her latest is the memoir l Heard Her Call My Name. It’s the first book she’s written under the name Lucy. Lucy started out life with the name Luke. At the age of 67, she decided to fulfill a long-held desire to transition to a woman. It’s now been three years since Lucy came out. We talk about the challenges of changing her gender, whether she thinks about things differently now that she’s a woman and what kind of clothes she likes to wear. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Lucy Little and Jackie Schwartz. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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