News and Happenings

Today, Andy and Chelsea Clinton talk about the role of the US in the world as Trump diverges from other world leaders in going it alone in the face of this global pandemic. They also discuss what their parents taught them about America and what they’re telling their own kids. Then, Andy calls author and historian Steven Johnson to put COVID-19 into a global, historical context.

As he detailed in his breakout hit movie The Big Sick, Kumail Nanjiani’s wife Emily is immuno-compromised, and, with COVID-19, that changes everything. The comedian and actor opens up about the feeling of losing control in this crisis, but he and Andy can’t help but laugh their way through even a serious conversation about fear, love, and painful messages from society. Kumail also reveals some incredibly impractical things you can do in isolation.

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Today, 18-year-old Zach and his dad talk about how to get broader points of view on the podcast. To that end, they reach out to former congressman and presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke, to hear how Texas’s approach to COVID-19 is going. Andy and Beto chat about how people’s own experiences dictate their views on the crisis. Then Peter Morley, an advocate for people with chronic illnesses, shares his lens on the crisis. And we hear from fan-favorite, Andy’s mom/Zach’s Nana, who has a special Mother’s Day message.

Today, Andy calls journalist and political commentator, Chris Hayes. Chris has been carrying the burden of seeing the pandemic coming long before America began to address it. He had to talk about it before it was real to most people and is still talking about it now that many have grown weary. They chat about how Chris thinks about his job in the news these days and the emotional toll it’s taking. They also scrap about coffee mugs.

Andy seeks out a conversation on competency. Things change rapidly in a crisis. When you’re in the middle of it, not knowing how everything will turn out can be stomach-churning, and big problems look way easier in hindsight. Having led a major government crisis-response, Andy gets this, and so does Ron Klain, who was the Ebola Czar during the Obama Administration. So, today, they talk about past crises and the best way to respond to today’s challenges. To keep it non-partisan, Andy also speaks to Lanhee Chen, Mitt Romney’s health policy director during his 2012 presidential campaign, who has seen and responded to the COVID-19 crisis on the ground in California and with Washington policymakers.

As President Trump shuts down all immigration as a reaction to COVID-19, Andy calls David Frum, who was by George W. Bush’s side after 9-11. How will globalization, public debate, and democracy itself fare in the context of a pandemic? Frum argues that America’s role in the global community has never been more important. He also has a clear view on the impact of this time on the coming election.

In this episode of In the Bubble, Andy takes questions from some very special listeners: Kids! Andy chats with four different families about COVID-19, how to stay safe, and what comes next. Comedian Jim Gaffigan and his family, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adam Housely and their kids, and stars of the YouTube channels Ryan’s World and What’s Up Moms all joined in for this fun and extra family-friendly episode.