When people ask me who are the most interesting characters I’ve ever talked to for “Now What?” I always think of the Irish actor Gabriel Byrne. Byrne has been in many iconic movies including Miller’s Crossing and The Usual Suspects. He also played the brooding psychiatrist in the series In Treatment and became a heartthrob at the age of 59. He’s now performing in a stage version of his memoir Walking with Ghosts. This is a beautifully written piece in which Byrne talks about the years he spent as a thief and his calling to be a priest. I spoke to Gabriel Byrne for an episode that was first posted in March 2021. “Now What?” is produced with help from Steve Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by  Nick Ciavatta.   

This is a special episode. It’s about my brother-in-law Joel Zimmer who was diagnosed with back of the tongue and tonsil cancer caused by the HPV virus. If you were to tell people that there’s a form of cancer that’s sexually transmitted they’d probably look at you as if you’re crazy. But there is and cases are on the rise. HPV now causes most of the throat and mouth cancers found in men. You’ll hear from Joel, oncologists, sex experts and President Joe Biden, whom I interviewed in Washington, D.C. about his family’s own experience with cancer. Thank you to Offscrip Health for allowing me to share “Silent Cancer” on “Now What?” “Silent Cancer” was produced with the help of Mary Rose Madden and Nick Ciavatta.

Since 2017, more than 80 women have come forward to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault. In 2022, the former movie studio mogul was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape. Throughout his career Weinstein was riding high with films like Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love. So the question is how did Weinstein manage to lead a parallel life that lasted for decades in which he abused women. I talk to writer Ken Auletta about his book Hollywood Ending and the culture of silence in the movie business.  “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Annika Hoeim and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.