Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity. Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.
105 episodes transcribedBob Odenkirk says he was never supposed to be an action hero, but he’s grateful for the way his career has turned out. Starting out as a sketch comedi...
From "O Brother, Where Art Thou" to "Watchmen" to "Poker Face,” Tim Blake Nelson is the actor you call when you want a character’s face to tell a life...
George Saunders isn’t sure what he believes about the afterlife, but he knows it’s fertile soil for a good story. In his latest novel “Vigil,” he expl...
In his stand-up, films and TV shows, Julio Torres considers the beauty and absurdity of the structures that make up the world around him, and tries to...
Christina Applegate doesn't need anyone's pity or approval. That’s the takeaway from her new memoir, "You With the Sad Eyes." She looks back at some o...
Chris Fleming takes his unique observations about the weirdness of everyday life and runs (and catapults and crawls and prances) with them. In his lat...
At 41, Lena Waithe already has an impressive legacy, with dozens of writing, acting and production credits. She was the first Black woman to win an Em...
When Weird Al’s debut single, “My Bologna,” came out, there wasn’t really a model for how a parody artist could have any longevity in their career. Ye...
Wagner Moura doesn’t compromise when it comes to doing work that feels meaningful and aligned with his values. That much is clear in the politically-c...
Melinda French Gates has been through some painful and public transitions — ending her marriage of 27 years, stepping away from the foundation she bu...
Oprah could never just ignore her weight. Everyone else was always talking about it – from tabloids to late-night shows. She talks to Rachel about her...
In her early 20s, Jennette McCurdy left her childhood acting career and turned to writing. In both her memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” and her debut n...
Tig Notaro knows all about how humor and grief can coexist. She's explored those topics in her stand-up comedy, TV shows, and podcasts. Her latest pro...
When Jonathan Goldstein sets out to help a guest on his podcast “Heavyweight,” he always hopes he can help them feel unburdened by the end. But it’s o...
Ann Patchett's 2001 novel Bel Canto was a huge hit. She's continued to have success with her later work, including The Dutch House, which was a Pulitz...
Mel Robbins tells Rachel that she was plagued by anxiety, trauma and “relentless self-hatred” when she was younger. Now she has a bestselling book (“T...
One of Apple’s top 10 podcast episodes of 2025. Jason Reynolds returns for another Wild Card question about the challenge of setting an example for ch...
Suleika Jaouad has written extensively about what it means to live in the in-between – the space between sick and healthy. She’s dealt on-and-off with...
When Malala Yousafzai went to college, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her Nobel Prize or the Taliban attack that put her on the world sta...
Padma Lakshmi has always been deeply curious about food, and how it serves as a vehicle for celebrating the cultural diversity of America. In her new...
