Show Notes
What does it actually take to stay relevant for four decades without losing your soul?
Before he was a hip-hop icon, LL Cool J was just a kid riding mini bikes and dreaming big. Decades later, he joins Trevor and Eugene to reflect on the wild journey—sharing unforgettable encounters with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, the family values that kept him grounded, and why true reinvention requires dropping your ego. Plus, LL breaks down why intuition is God’s voice, why cynicism is just cowardice in disguise, and how he turned his grandfather’s belief into his legendary debut album, Radio.
More from What Now? with Trevor Noah
Is it possible Thanos was actually the good guy? Trevor, Eugene, and Devin sit down for a hilarious and unpredictable conversation that tackles everything from the physics of Elon Musk’s flying cars to the true meaning of the Avengers franchise. Trevor pitches his most controversial idea yet: legally mandating robust storylines in all adult films to save humanity's attention spans.
Are you expecting too much from the wrong people? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant joins Trevor and Eugene to explore why making real friends can be so difficult, how power dynamics shape our relationships at work, and why even our closest connections can leave us disappointed. Adam breaks down the three kinds of relationships we all need and explains why confusing them can create unnecessary tension in our lives. It's a funny, thought-provoking conversation about friendship, expectations, and why building stronger relationships might start with understanding what we actually need from one another.
Comedian Gary Gulman joins Stephen Dubner in this preview of an episode from the Freakonomics Radio creator's new show, Better in Person. Watch Better in Person on the Freakonomics Radio Network YouTube channel.
What happens when one of the biggest stars in wrestling history decides to completely start over?
What makes a joke work, and why are we so afraid to have real conversations? British comedian Jimmy Carr joins Trevor and Eugene to break down the mechanics of comedy, the rise of AI, and what we’re losing as human connection becomes harder to find. Jimmy shares how making his depressed mother laugh helped launch his career, what writing a book about the structure of jokes taught him about being funny, and why dark humor can help us confront the things that scare us most. It’s a funny, surprisingly vulnerable conversation about comedy, technology, and why making each other laugh may be one of the most human things we do.