Not Dead Yet

Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and former Notre Dame law professor known for originalism. She discusses her writing process and use of clerks. She talks about balancing parenting with a demanding career. She stresses the need for better civics education and corrects common media misreads of the Court.

Mike Rowe, TV host and trades advocate known for Dirty Jobs and the Mike Rowe Works Foundation, talks about work ethic, gratitude, and vocational pride. He shares wild on-set stories and why physical work gives satisfying completion. Conversation explores stoicism, curiosity, the theft of wonder in schooling, and mixing practical skills with intellectual life.

Caitlin Flanagan, journalist and cultural critic known for long-form essays and candid writing, shares her cancer timeline and choice to write openly about illness. She talks about prioritizing family over career, the value of disagreeability in protecting convictions, shifting cultural roles for men and women, and why California both fascinates and worries her.

Conan O’Brien, comedian and longtime late-night figure, chats about why comedy felt like a dopamine rush and how family shaped his impulse to perform. He reflects on reinvention, empathy as a comic tool, making guests comfortable, and stepping into dramatic roles. Short, funny, and unexpectedly sincere.

Al Michaels, legendary play-by-play broadcaster who called the 1980 Miracle on Ice, shares memories from Brooklyn to national television. He revisits the Lake Placid game and his famous line. He explains the craft of calling different sports, chemistry with partners, and why understated drama beats shouting.

Two friends confront mortality and explain why now is the moment to start talking about redeeming time. They discuss perfectionism and procrastination finally giving way to action. One shares how a cancer diagnosis accelerated plans and reshaped family priorities. Conversations aim to capture lessons and questions for their children.