iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Launch New Comedy Podcast “Humor Me With Robert Smigel & Friends”

iHeartMedia — Fri, 05/08/2026 - 08:00

Comedy legend Robert Smigel is joined by Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell in the debut episode of the show, which is also set to feature guest comedians including Bob Odenkirk, David Letterman, Dave Attell, and Ellie Kemper

Listen to the first episode HERE

WHAT: “Humor Me With Robert Smigel & Friends,” a comedy podcast hosted by Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, actor and director Robert Smigel, debuts today from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players podcast network (BMP). The show was created by Michelle Saks Smigel.

“Humor Me With Robert Smigel & Friends” is a weekly podcast where host Robert Smigel, and a rotating panel of his close funny friends, assist callers seeking help in making something in their real life funnier. Anything. A best man speech, a eulogy, a fan letter, a sermon, an apology, a Tinder profile - Robert, with a panel of professional comedy writers and comedians, will punch it up and get results. Callers can send a voice message to the “Humor Me” team at speakpipe.com/humorme.

Longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member Mikey Day and his writing partner, SNL head writer Streeter Seidell, join Robert for the debut episode, along with a surprise colleague of theirs. In the episode, they team up to help an a cappella group punch up their banter between songs.

Additional comedians and comedy writers set to appear as guests on “Humor Me With Robert Smigel & Friends” include Dave Attell, Andy Breckman, Jim Downey, Jim Gaffigan, Ellie Kemper, Michael Koman, David Letterman, Bruce McCulloch, Alex Moffat, Bob Odenkirk, Colin Quinn, Rob Riggle, Eric Slovin, Dino Stamatopoulos and Mike Sweeney.

WHO: Comedian, actor and writer Robert Smigel (full bio below), and iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players. See the full lineup of Big Money Player podcasts HERE.

WHEN: Debuting today, May 8, 2026 with new episodes available weekly on Fridays.

WHERE: “Humor Me With Robert Smigel & Friends” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Listen now HERE.

EMBED PLAYER:

ASSETS: Hi-res show art HERE

About Robert Smigel

Robert Smigel is a writer, producer, actor and director known best for his Saturday Night Live “TV Funhouse” cartoon shorts, including The Ambiguously Gay Duo, Fun With Real Audio, and the X-Presidents, and as the creator and voice of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, the foul-mouthed puppet who has mercilessly mocked everyone from Star Wars and Bon Jovi fans to Eminem and Ted Cruz. Triumph continues to appear on The Daily Show and Hollywood Squares, but did the bulk of his poopery on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, for which Robert served as the first Head Writer/Producer, creating numerous bits including “In the Year 2000” as well as providing the mouth/voices for Conan’s celebrity “Clutch Cargo” interviews of Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Donald Trump and many more.

Robert met Conan at SNL, where they collaborated on many sketches including the infamous Nude Beach and the Girlwatchers (with Tom Hanks). They also wrote and produced the legendary unsold pilot Lookwell starring Adam West. Robert’s own best-known sketches at SNL included the Chicago Super Fans, Schmitt’s Gay Beer, William Shatner and the Trekkies, Mastermind Reagan, The Sinatra Group, Seinfeld’s Stand Up & Win and Steve Martin’s Holiday Wish and “Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight” song.

Most recently, Robert co-wrote, co-directed, wrote songs for and voices characters in the animated Netflix movie, LEO, starring Adam Sandler, Bill Burr and Cecily Strong, which was the service’s most successful animated film at the time. He also co-wrote and produced Sandler’s Hotel Transylvania, Hotel Transylvania 2 and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. His film debut as a writer/director was The Week Of (2018) starring Sandler and Chris Rock.

Robert has had roles in many Sandler films as well as This is 40, Punch Drunk Love, Marriage Story and the recent Sundance hit Between the Temples with Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane, as well as featured roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Portlandia and What We Do in the Shadows.

Robert has won three Emmys for his work on SNL and for Night of Too Many Stars, a biannual benefit he and his wife Michelle created that has raised over $32 million for autism programs nationwide, hosted by Jon Stewart. Robert’s Triumph Election Special ’16 earned Hulu its first-ever primetime Emmy nomination. His Grammy-nominated comedy album for Triumph, Come Poop With Me, somehow lost despite classics like “Underage Bichon” and “Cats Are C***s”.

For more from Triumph (and sometimes Robert), follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

iHeartMedia Spotlights New Music from Farruko ft. Greeicy & Steve Aoki, Kenny Chesney, Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter, and Kacey Musgraves

iHeartMedia — Fri, 05/08/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – May 8, 2026 – iHeartMedia highlighted new music and artists alike recently with special programming, including new World Premiere debuts and more.

On May 8, Farruko’s “YAPAQUE” ft. Greeicy & Steve Aoki had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartRadio Spanish Contemporary stations while Kenny Chesney’s “Carry On” had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartCountry stations.

Last week, iHeartRadio stations aired the World Premiere debut of Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s new collaboration "Bring Your Love" on April 30 across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC, and Kacey Musgraves’ “Loneliest Girl” had a World Premiere debut on April 30 across all iHeartCountry stations.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

MapQuest and iHeartRadio Launch First-Ever Audio Integration on MapQuest.com

iHeartMedia — Thu, 05/07/2026 - 08:00

iHeartRadio’s industry-leading audio portfolio now streaming on MapQuest.com

LOS ANGELES, CA — May 7, 2026 — MapQuest, the trusted navigation platform used by tens of millions of people each month, and iHeartRadio, the leading audio company in the United States, today announced a new partnership that brings live iHeartRadio streaming directly to MapQuest.com, marking the first-ever audio integration in the platform’s history.

The integration allows MapQuest users to listen to live iHeartRadio stations while navigating. Users on MapQuest.com will now see a “Live Radio” button in the top-right corner of the map, seamlessly pairing real-time directions with industry-leading audio content. Mobile app integration is planned for a future phase.

The partnership delivers scale and value for both brands. Through the partnership, MapQuest will leverage iHeartMedia’s expansive multi-platform audio network – including broadcast radio, podcasts, and events – to accelerate brand awareness and reach new audiences nationwide.

"The open road and great audio have always gone together, which is why this partnership made so much sense,” said Doug Berger, General Manager of MapQuest. “iHeartRadio brings the country's most popular stations directly into the MapQuest experience, giving our users live entertainment alongside the navigation they already trust. It's a simple, meaningful upgrade and an exciting first for MapQuest."

“This partnership puts iHeart’s live radio in front of MapQuest’s millions of monthly users, giving consumers more of the content they seek,” said Michael Biondo, President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships for iHeartMedia. “It’s a simple, intuitive way to extend our reach and enhance how people experience audio on the go.”

The integration allows iHeartRadio stations to complement MapQuest’s trusted navigation and mapping content, enhancing the overall user experience by combining real-time directions with live audio entertainment and information.

About MapQuest

MapQuest is one of the most recognized names in digital navigation, helping tens of millions of people every month find their way across the United States and around the world. Launched in 1996, MapQuest pioneered online mapping and turn-by-turn directions, and continues to deliver trusted maps, routing, and local discovery through MapQuest.com and the MapQuest mobile app. Beyond consumer navigation, the MapQuest Platform offers a developer-grade suite of geocoding, routing, and mapping APIs that power location experiences for businesses across logistics, real estate, retail, and SaaS, and the company's RoadWarrior product serves last-mile delivery drivers with multi-stop route optimization. MapQuest is operated by System1, Inc. [NYSE: SST]. Visit MapQuest.com to learn more.

Improv Comedy Podcast “Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists” Joins iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players

iHeartMedia — Thu, 05/07/2026 - 08:00

Beginning today, May 7, the improvised Hollywood roundtable podcast will release all-new episodes under the Big Money Players network with upcoming guests including Anna Konkle, Chanse McCrary, Ashby, and Tim Baltz

Listen to today’s new episode HERE

WHAT: “Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists” (AOAOAOA), the improvised comedy podcast featuring chaotic, pretentious, and hilariously unfiltered conversations between fictional Hollywood personalities, joins iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players network (BMP) today.

Hosted by Kylie Brakeman, Jeremy Culhane, Angela Giarratana and Patrick McDonald, the show was born out of a creative partnership that began on an Upright Citizens Brigade sketch team in 2019. The group launched the podcast during the pandemic as a way to keep creating together, building a following around its fully improvised format and ensemble dynamic. Since then, AOAOAOA has released more than 220 episodes.

“We are so excited for AOAOAOA to join the BMP family. This is a huge win for annoying people everywhere,” said Kylie, Jeremy, Angela and Patrick.

WHO: Comedians Kylie Brakeman, Jeremy Culhane, Patrick McDonald, Angela Giarratana and iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players podcast network. See the full lineup of Big Money Player podcasts HERE. Full host bios below.

WHEN: AOAOAOA joins BMP today, May 7, 2026 with new episodes available weekly on Thursdays.

WHERE: AOAOAOA is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Listen now, HERE. Video episodes are also available on YouTube.

EMBED PLAYER: <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-artists-on-artists-on-arti-83218269/…" frameborder="0"></iframe>

ASSETS: Hi-Res Show Art HERE

About Kylie Brakeman

Kylie Brakeman is an actor, comedian, and TV writer who has worked on The Tonight Show, Adult Swim, and G4. She also wrote for Dropout, and The Kids Tonight Show. Brakeman's videos have been featured in The Guardian, The Atlantic, The LA Times, and other publications. In 2020, she was named to the New York Times Great Performers List.

About Jeremy Culhane

Jeremy Culhane is a comedian, actor and writer with over 500k followers across all social media platforms. He became a featured player on Saturday Night Live for its 51st season in 2025. Jeremy is a mainstay on Dropout TV, appearing in various shows across the network. Some of his TV credits include Sex Lives of College Girls, American Vandal, and Heathers.

About Patrick McDonald

Patrick McDonald is a queer writer, director, and comedian from Mansfield, Texas. You've seen him and his writing online on SMOSH and Dropout, and in original works like "I Live In Your House," "Big Bear," and his YouTube talk show "Havin' A Day." Film/TV credits include "Quiz Lady," "Am I OK?," "Night Court," and "Zac Snyder's Justice League."

About Angela Giarratana

Angela Giarratana is an actor, writer, singer, and producer whose most recent credits include Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Night Court, Minx, and the ABC Discovers Talent Showcase. Angela currently is a cast member on youtube channel SMOSH along TeamStarkid and Dropout TV. Angela most recently went to Sundance with her short film 'guts' that she starred in and produced.

About Big Money Players

Founded by Will Ferrell and iHeartMedia, the Big Money Players Network is the premiere destination for comedy podcasts and home to top comedic talent across a variety of formats and styles – both scripted and unscripted. In addition to audio’s No. 1 comedy “The Ron Burgundy Podcast,” BMP features long-running hits like “Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang,” “Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim,” “Hollywood Handbook,” “Straightiolab” and more. All BMP podcasts are executive produced by Will Ferrell and iHeartMedia and are distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network. See the full catalog here.

New Series Kingdom Of Fraud

iHeartMedia — Tue, 05/05/2026 - 08:00

Co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, episodes release weekly from May 12th 2026, wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the official audio trailer now, here.

Preview episodes now, here.

LONDON and NEW YORK – 5th May, 2026 – What do a devout polygamist from an insular Utah sect and a shadowy Armenian tycoon from Los Angeles have in common? More than you'd think. Together, they defrauded the American government out of nearly one billion dollars.

“Kingdom of Fraud,” a brand new series co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, launches May 12th 2026. Listeners can hear the official series trailer now, here.

Over seven episodes, Emmy-nominated journalist, investigative reporter and host Michele McPhee traces the extraordinary and unlikely criminal partnership between Jacob Kingston and Levon Termendzhyan, a reputed Armenian crime figure known to those around him as “The Lion.” Together, they built a billion dollar fraud conspiracy out of a biofuel subsidy program, and triggered the largest tax investigation in American history.

McPhee travels from Salt Lake City and its outskirts where Mormon fundamentalist groups laid roots, to gritty neighborhoods in Los Angeles and beyond to understand how Jacob Kingston, one of his father's more than 100 children and a man desperate to prove his worth to his powerful polygamist clan, The Order, ended up in business with one of LA's most feared operators. And how, once their scheme started generating tens of millions of dollars, they needed to find somewhere far from Utah to hide it all.

But this story isn't just about two men and their money. Around Jacob and Levon sits a web of dirty cops, political connections and transnational money launderers that reaches further than the federal agents investigating the case could have imagined.

Jacob Kingston was put under unimaginable pressure as law enforcement started circling, but Levon assured him that a shadowy network known only as ‘The Boys” - paid badges from the highest levels of federal law enforcement who sold their access to the highest bidder would spring into action to keep the cops at bay.

Was Jacob right to put his life in The Lion’s hands, or will their billion dollar biofuel empire go up in smoke?

“Kingdom of Fraud” is a story about what happens when the most unlikely of alliances is corroded by greed and selfishness - a story of rampant corruption in which every American citizen was a victim.

“Kingdom of Fraud” launches everywhere you get your podcasts on May 12th, with new episodes published weekly on Mondays.

Listen completely ad-free and one week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

For further information, images, audio or interview opportunities, please contact: Novel - production.management@novel.audio

“Kingdom of Fraud” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

Editor’s Note:

Use the below code to embed the podcast audio player directly into your article or website.

Download the podcast cover art here.

About Michele McPhee

Michele McPhee is a Senior Editor at Los Angeles magazine and the author of seven investigative true crime books. She was a five-time Emmy-nominated producer in the ABC News Investigative Unit and was nominated as the Police Bureau Chief of the New York Daily News for a Pulitzer Prize for 9/11 coverage before returning to her native city where she went on to become an award-winning Boston Herald columnist. She is also Writers Guild of America screenwriter, including on the Showtime series City on a Hill and has sold multiple pilots as potential scripted series. She has worked as documentary producer, developed a podcast based on her two books that investigate the federal government's connection to the Boston Marathon bombers called Mayhem with Michele McPhee and is a frequent guest on television news programs including Dateline and 20/20. Her investigative work has garnered multiple national and local press awards. She began reporting on the story "The Mobster and the Mormon" in 2022 for Los Angeles magazine.

@Michele McPhee

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelemcphee/

@Michele.McPhee

About Novel

Novel is a leading independent premium podcast company. Its stack of chart-topping, award-winning podcasts includes The Girlfriends, which reached the global number one spot, won the Ambie for Best True Crime Podcast in 2024.

The worldwide chart-topping hit true crime series Kill List was the winner of the Edward R Murrow Award for Journalism, the Best Podcast Award at the 2025 Broadcast Press Guild (BPG) Awards, as well as winner of the Signal Award for Best True Crime and Best Sound Design, and Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards and True Crime Awards 2025.

Further chart-topping, critically acclaimed and award-winning podcasts include Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera, Stolen Hearts, Come by Chance, Superhero Complex and Filthy Ritual.

Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Carly Pearce, Shaboozey, Lauren Alaina, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, Gretchen Wilson and More Took to the Stage at This Year’s iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One

iHeartMedia — Mon, 05/04/2026 - 08:00

Disney+ and Hulu streamed the iHeartCountry Festival live and it was broadcast across iHeartCountry stations nationwide

NEW YORK- May 4, 2026- The thirteenth annual iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One celebrated Country music’s hottest artists including Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Carly Pearce, Shaboozey, Lauren Alaina, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, Gretchen Wilson, Chase Matthew and special guest George Birge at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The festival was once again hosted by iHeartMedia's nationally syndicated top on-air Country personality, Bobby Bones. Disney+ and Hulu livestreamed all of the performances, giving subscribers exclusive front-row access from the comfort of their home. The event also broadcasted across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT).

The Daytime Village at the iHeartCountry Festival featured performances by Lauren Alaina, George Birge, Chase Matthew, RaeLynn and Josh Ross.

Highlights from this year’s festival include:

Parker McCollum kicked off the iHeartCountry Festival with his hits “What Kinda Man,” “Killing Me,” “Pretty Heart,” “Solid Country Gold,” “To Be Loved” and more.
Chase Matthew kept the party going with his hits “Holdin It Down,” “Love You Again,” and “Darlin’.”
Russell Dickerson kept the crowd entertained with “Worth Your Wild,” “She Likes It,” “Blue Tacoma,” “Yours,” and “Happen To Me.”
Gretchen Wilson gave a legendary performance of her fan favorites “Here for the Party,” “Redneck Shit,” “All Jacked Up,” and “Redneck Woman.”
Dylan Scott took the stage performing “Good Times,” “Can’t Have Mine,” “My Girl,” and more.
Lauren Alaina had the crowd singing along to “Raining Whiskey,” “One Beer,” and surprised the crowd by bringing out Chase Matthew to perform their song “All my Ex’s,” and closed out her set with “Road Less Traveled.”
Kane Brown got the crowd on their feet performing his hits “Like I Love Country Music,” “I Can Feel It,” “Bury Me in Georgia,” “Famous Friends,” “Miles On It” and more.
Carly Pearce hit the stage giving an unforgettable performance of “Happy Now,” “Truck on Fire,” “What He Didn’t Do,” and the crowd went wild when Riley Green joined her onstage for their song “If I Don’t Leave.”
Luke Bryan rocked the iHeartCountry stage with his fan favorites “That’s My Kind of Night,” “Play It Again,” and brought out George Birge to perform their new song “Ride Ride Ride.” He continued his set with “Knockin’ Boots,” “Country On,” and his classic “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).”
Shaboozey had the crowd dancing to his songs “Last of My Kind,” “Amen,” “Good News,” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Riley Green closed out the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival performing “Different ‘Round Here,” “There Was This Girl,” “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” brought out Carly Pearce to sing “Don’t Mind If I Do” and closed his set with “Worst Way.”

iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One is an iHeartMedia Production. Proud partners of this year’s event include presenting partner Capital One, America250, Bobcat, Booking.com, Electric for All, She Rises Studios and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® is the benefiting charity partner of the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival. Music unites, heals, and changes lives and that’s why the country music community is proud to support St. Jude in the fight against childhood cancer and invites fans to help too. Fans can visit musicgives.org today and become a Partner in Hope. Donations ensure that no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food.

For more information visit iHeartRadio.com/countryfestival.

To access photos and b-roll from the event, please use the links below:

B-roll: HERE
Photos: PW: iHCF_2026!
- Show: https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C00000Q6b1baBSXs/G00003UKBRHPsSrc/Best-of-The-2026-iHeartCountry-Festival
- Red Carpet: https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000_IuTlWliPbM/G0000dNzNx6RXLkk/Press-Room
Photo credit: Name in caption (ie: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio)

Romance Publisher 831 Stories and iHeartPodcasts Launch “Radio 831: A Romance Podcast” Hosted by Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/30/2026 - 08:00

Listen to the audio trailer now HERE

NEW YORK — April 30, 2026 — Romance publisher 831 Stories and iHeartPodcasts today announced “Radio 831: A Romance Podcast,” a weekly romance chat-show series hosted by Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall. The podcast will debut its first episode next week on May 7 with new episodes available weekly on Thursdays. Listeners can hear the official audio trailer now on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard, here.

“Radio 831” will offer romance fans a weekly half-hour hit of all things happening in the wide world of romance. Hosts and romance superfans Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall will bring their trademark curiosity, insightfulness, and die-hard enthusiasm to book buzz, screen-adaptation drama, and the genre’s countless intersections with internet discourse and celebrity culture. They’ll call on experts—from authors to BookTokers—to help them dive into the big and small stories of the moment with a lot of heart.

831 Stories offers romance fans many ways to engage with the genre and the world of their books, from monthly novella releases, live events, merchandise ripped from the pages—and The Ones, a monthly membership program for those who want to find it all in one place. With the addition of “Radio 831,” the publisher is expanding avenues for readers to participate in the trends, topics, and news that keep the romance community talking.

Basker and McCall are recognizable faces in this realm: Basker has made a name for herself as a beloved romance scholar on TikTok, Instagram, and Substack, where her academic and cerebral takes often lead the discourse of the day and reflect her remarkably deep understanding of the genre’s history and source material. McCall is well-known for her frequent magazine cover stories, her popular erotica scripts for Quinn Originals includingThe Queen’s Guard and The Trials, and her Instagram, a fandom-centric source for all things pop culture, books, and movies. She also has her own highly anticipated romance debut coming from Little, Brown in 2027.

831 Stories and McCall are represented by UTA. “Radio 831: A Romance Podcast” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

Download the podcast cover art HERE.

Sanjana Basker
By day, Sanjana Basker is a doctoral student in counseling psychology studying sex, gender, intimacy, and health through a critical feminist lens. By night, she's still a doctoral student, but she's also a romance reader, reviewer, and enthusiast. You can find her work on TikTok and most other platforms under @baskinsuns or on Substack at Scratch Paper.

Tyler McCall

Tyler McCall is the author of People Like You, coming Spring 2027. Formerly the editor-in-chief of Fashionista, Tyler is now a freelance writer whose bylines have appeared in publications like Who What Wear, Marie Claire, Elle, and The Cut. She has read more books than should be humanly possible, spends most weekends putting her Alamo Drafthouse Season Pass to work, and considers herself to be an amateur Gossip Girl historian. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @eiffeltyler or on Substack at Voted Most Talkative.

Sonoro and iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Podcast Network Launch “Help From A Hypocrite with Joey Dardano”

iHeartMedia — Wed, 04/29/2026 - 08:00

Listen to the first episode now, HERE

NEW YORK – April 29, 2026 – Today, Sonoro and My Cultura, iHeartMedia’s podcast network dedicated to elevating Latino voices and stories, announced the launch of their new comedy podcast, “Help from a Hypocrite with Joey Dardano,” giving out “the worst advice from the dumbest people you know.” The podcast is available beginning today, April 29, 2026 with new episodes available weekly on Wednesdays.

Hosted and executive produced by comedian Joey Dardano, “Help from a Hypocrite,” will help listeners with their problems—by giving them the worst advice known to mankind. Those looking for some sage counseling to help with a serious issue... this is not the show for you. If listeners are in search of the most elaborate excuse to get out of their second cousin’s baby shower or help on how to end a prolonged situationship, then this is the perfect podcast. Joined by his comedian pals and internet personalities like Yvette Segan, Melissa Villaseñor, Nev Schulman, Grace O’Malley, George Civeris, The Cooligans and more, Dardano, who is best known for his stand up comedy and appearances on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out, will provide listeners with outlandish solutions to (not so) everyday problems.

“Almost everything I’ve put online is short-form – a minute or less,” says host and EP Joey Dardano. “I’m excited for those who’ve found me and stopped by for a quick laugh to finally stick around and hang a while with me on ‘Help from a Hypocrite’. Get to know each other. See if we can take our relationship further. I really want to thank Sonoro and My Cultura for giving me the space to have some fun with my hilarious friends. That’s what this is all about!!”

“As a longtime fan of Joey’s comedy, I’m thrilled to launch ‘Help from a Hypocrite’ together with our team at Sonoro and our partners at My Cultura,” says Sonoro Director of Content Partnerships and series EP, Alex González. “Joey is a singular comedic voice and we can’t wait to bring fans along on our roller coaster of a podcast. Strap in – you’re in for a fun ride.”

“Joey Dardano’s humor is sharp, unpredictable and instantly engaging, making ‘Help From A Hypocrite’ a perfect match for our listeners,” said Leo Gomez, Head of iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network. “This podcast captures the playful, culturally fluent comedy our listeners love, and we’re excited to team up with Sonoro again to bring it to life.”

“Help From A Hypocrite” is available now on the iHeartRadio app, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Podcast Network launched May 2021 in collaboration with Enrique Santos, iHeartMedia’s top-rated on-air personality and President and Chief Creative Officer of iHeartLatino, and has since welcomed actor, producer, entrepreneur and activist Wilmer Valderrama along with Eva Longoria and her studio Hyphenate Media Group as stakeholders. Since launch, the network has seen steady listener growth and has become home to more than 60 podcasts including hit series “Chiquis and Chill,” “The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos,” “Bleep! with Ana Navarro,” “Against All Odds with Yris Palmer,” “More Better with Stephanie & Melissa,” “Princess of South Beach,'' “Wrestling with Freddie,” “Sacred Scandal,” “Radio Ambulante,” “Magical Rewind,” “Agushto Papá,” “Enrique Santos Podcast,” “You vs You with Lex Borrero,” “Starring: Desi Arnaz & Wilmer Valerrama,” and many more. All My Cultura shows are distributed by iHeartPodcasts. Listeners can find the full catalog of My Cultura podcasts here.

Editor’s Note:

Download the show cover art, HERE

Include the podcast audio player directly into any article or website using the below embed code:

ABOUT SONORO:

Sonoro is a global entertainment company that creates and distributes premium, culturally- relevant content that originates in audio and expands into TV, film, consumer products, live events, and beyond. Sonoro collaborates with leading and emerging storytellers to develop original IP in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. The company has launched twelve #1 hit shows, is developing 135 pieces of original IP, and has 18 television and film projects in active development. According to Podtrac, Sonoro is the 4th largest podcast network in the world (and the #1 network for multicultural creators), delivering 100 million downloads per month. Sonoro is based in Los Angeles, New York City, and Mexico City.

Kaleidoscope And iHeartPodcasts Launch “SuperHuman,” A New Investigative Series On The Enhanced Games And The True Limits Of Human Performance

iHeartMedia — Wed, 04/29/2026 - 08:00

Hosted by writer, former GQ editor, and Fast Company alum Chris Gayomali, the limited series unpacks the controversial competition The Enhanced Games, which invites athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs in pursuit of million-dollar prizes, broken world records, and a radical redefinition of human limits

First episode premieres May 5, 2026, with new episodes every Tuesday

Listen to the trailer HERE

Download show art HERE (Photo Credit: Kaleidoscope & iHeartPodcasts); Download host photo HERE (Photo Credit: June Kim)

NEW YORK, NY – April 29, 2026 – Kaleidoscope, the New York-based media company redefining science and technology storytelling, and iHeartPodcasts today announced SuperHuman, a provocative new investigative podcast examining the most controversial experiment in modern sports: the Enhanced Games. Hosted by writer, former GQ editor, and Fast Company alum Chris Gayomali, the limited series explores what happens when elite athletes are allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs openly in pursuit of world records and million-dollar prizes. The official trailer is available now, with the first episode premiering Tuesday, May 5, 2026, ahead of the Enhanced Games, which are scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2026, at Resorts World in Las Vegas, Nevada. New episodes will be published weekly every Tuesday. Listeners can hear the official podcast trailer now, HERE.

Built as a tech billionaire’s high-stakes redux of the Roman Colosseum, the Enhanced Games aim to disrupt the Olympics by allowing athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs without traditional testing restrictions. Former Olympians and elite competitors, including British swimmer Ben Proud, Ukrainian swimmer Andre Golarov, and Olympic medalist Megan Romano, will join the podcast to discuss pushing their bodies to new limits in pursuit of world records and a million-dollar prize.

SuperHuman investigates what happens when science, ambition, money, and spectacle collide. In an era defined by GLP-1 medications, bespoke medicine, peptides, and everyday steroid use at neighborhood gyms, the series asks a deeper question: what future are elite athletes sprinting toward, and are the rest of us racing there too?

Part sports thriller, part science investigation, and part cultural reckoning, SuperHuman also explores the broader media spectacle surrounding the games, the promises of optimization, and the very real physiological consequences of pushing the human body beyond established limits. The series will culminate in a narrative episode following the games in May, with additional debrief conversations examining what happens after the race is over and what these experiments may signal for the future of medicine and sport.

“At Kaleidoscope, we’re interested in the stories that sit at the edge of what's possible that ask us to reckon with our destination,” said Oz Woloshyn, Co-founder of Kaleidoscope. “We’re living through a moment where human optimization has gone from niche to mainstream, and the Enhanced Games are an extreme expression of that shift. SuperHuman uses that idea as a starting point to explore a much bigger question: how far we’re willing to go to push the limits of being human.”

Gayomali is a writer and editor whose work sits at the intersection of technology, culture, and wellness. A former editor at GQ and reporter at Fast Company, Gayomali’s features regularly go viral, including his widely discussed October 2022 investigation into cosmetic leg lengthening, which was later spoofed on Saturday Night Live. He is also the author of the modern health newsletter HEAVIES.

“We’re at a unique point in history where the traditional notion of wellness is at an inflection point,” said Gayomali. “And the Enhanced Games capture all these ideas around longevity and aging and the pursuit of excellence like nothing else in the culture. It has been, and will likely continue to be, a wild ride.”

SuperHuman is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and joins Kaleidoscope’s growing slate of premium content exploring science and technology. New episodes will publish every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

For more information on Kaleidoscope, please visit www.k-scope.com.

Editor’s Note

Include the SuperHuman podcast player directly into your article or website using the below embed code:

About Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a genre-defining media company, using human storytelling to transport audiences to the frontiers of discovery. Founded in 2022 by Oz Woloshyn and Mangesh Hattikudur, Kaleidoscope's network of science and technology programming works to make the most important ideas of our time accessible, engaging, and emotionally resonant — for everyone who wants a stake in this new future. Today, the network reaches millions and is home to hit shows including On Musk: with Walter Isaacson and The Last Soviet: with Lance Bass. Visit www.k-scope.com for more information.

The 2026 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One on May 2 from Moody Center in Austin, Texas

iHeartMedia — Wed, 04/29/2026 - 08:00

Disney+ and Hulu to stream the iHeartCountry Festival live

The event will also broadcast across iHeartCountry Stations Nationwide

WHAT: On Saturday, May 2 iHeartMedia celebrates the biggest names in country music at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One at 7 p.m. CT from Moody Center in Austin, TX. Disney+ and Hulu will live stream all of the performances, giving subscribers exclusive front-row access from the comfort of their home. The event will also broadcast across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and the iHeartRadio app on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT).

WHO: The main stage will feature performances from Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Carly Pearce, Shaboozey, Lauren Alaina, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, Gretchen Wilson, Chase Matthew and special guest George Birge.

The Daytime Village takes place on Saturday, May 2 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. CT at the Dell Technologies Plaza of Moody Center in Austin, TX. The free daytime event will feature live performances by Lauren Alaina, George Birge, Chase Matthew, RaeLynn and Josh Ross.

WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 2026

WHERE: Moody Center (2001 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712)

MORE: Tickets to the main stage at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival are on sale now at TicketMaster.com.

Additional information about the livestream can be found at DisneyPlusHulu.Live/iHeartCountry.

For more information visit iHeartRadio.com/countryfestival.

Artists and/or events subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Trusted Voices and Smart Creative Redefine Audio’s Role in Driving Brand Outcomes

iHeartMedia — Tue, 04/28/2026 - 08:00

New study from Omnicom Media Intelligence and iHeartMedia outlines how evolving audio formats deliver measurable full-funnel impact

NEW YORK, NY (April 28, 2026) - A new Partner Intelligence study from Omnicom Media Intelligence - the research arm of global media management group Omnicom Media - and iHeartMedia finds that audio advertising is delivering measurable gains across awareness, trust, and conversion as innovations in format and creative are accelerating consumer action and deepening engagement.

The study - Turning Volume into Value: What New Audio Innovations Mean for Advertisers - is based on a controlled experimental design among more than 3,500 U.S. adults who listen to audio content weekly. It evaluates the effectiveness of standard audio ads alongside host-read, long-form, dynamic and interactive formats, providing marketers with a playbook for aligning audio strategy to specific business objectives.

With audio now accounting for roughly one-third of daily media consumption, the findings underscore its growing importance within the media mix and its ability to amplify performance across channels.

“Audio is one of the few channels that delivers both scale and intimacy,” said Lainie Fertick, President, iHeartMedia Insights. “When brands combine trusted human voices with thoughtful innovation, audio becomes a powerful driver of trust, engagement and accelerated purchase behavior.”

Audio delivers full-funnel impact - and amplifies other channels

Across formats, audio advertising drove significant lifts in core brand metrics, including a 22-point increase in unaided ad recall among in-market consumers, alongside gains in favorability (+5 points), search intent (+6 points), and purchase intent (+5 points). The research also highlights audio’s “multiplier effect,” demonstrating that exposure to audio ads improves responsiveness across social and digital channels, increasing engagement and branded search activity.

Trusted voices and long-form storytelling enhance credibility and accelerate conversion

Host-read ads emerged as particularly effective in building emotional connection and brand trust. Messages delivered by familiar or trusted voices generated stronger gains in brand relevance, search intent, and purchase intent than standard ads, reinforcing the influence of the listener-host relationship.

The study also found that trusted hosts accelerate decision-making. Exposure to host-read ads drove a 20-point lift in likelihood to purchase within a week, significantly outperforming standard ads.

Long-form host-read executions further amplified these effects. By allowing more time for storytelling, these formats delivered up to 2X higher recall than shorter ads and increased the likelihood of near-term purchase, making them especially effective for consideration and conversion objectives.

“Listeners develop real relationships with the voices they hear every day,” said Kara Manatt, EVP, Intelligence Solutions, Omnicom Media. “When brands tap into that credibility at scale, the impact is measurable - trusted voices don’t just influence perception, they drive action.”

Innovation in creative formats boosts relevance, engagement and action

Emerging formats are also expanding what audio can do for brands. Dynamic ads tailored to context - such as time of day or listener environment - improved perceived relevance (80% vs. 73% for standard ads) and delivered stronger lifts in search intent.

Interactive motion-activated units, which prompt listeners to engage directly, proved especially effective among younger and in-market audiences, generating incremental gains in both search and purchase intent. These formats transform passive listening into active participation, helping brands convert high-intent consumers more efficiently.

Beyond individual tactics, the study emphasizes the importance of sequencing formats strategically. Combining trusted host-read ads with dynamic and interactive elements enables brands to guide consumers from awareness through to action within a cohesive audio strategy.

The full report can be accessed here.

The research was conducted among U.S. adults aged 18+ who listen to audio content at least weekly. Participants were randomly assigned to control and exposed groups, with real-world ad experiences followed by brand lift surveys to measure impact across key performance indicators.

“iHeartRadio Album Preview with Zara Larsson” Featuring Exclusive Music from Her Remix Album Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, Streaming LIVE on TikTok April 30

iHeartMedia — Fri, 04/24/2026 - 08:00

Zara Larsson will share reimagined songs and inspiration behind the music with fans from her upcoming remix album Midnight Sun: Girls Trip ahead of its official release on May 1

New York, N.Y. – April 24, 2026 – iHeartMedia and TikTok announced today that on April 30 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT the “iHeartRadio Album Preview with Zara Larsson” will stream LIVE on, @iheartradio, @tiktok, and @zaralarsson. Hosted at the iHeartRadio Los Angeles Theater, the preview will also broadcast on iHeartRadio CHR stations.

In celebration of Zara Larsson’s new remix album Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, set to be released on May 1, fans will get an exclusive first-listen to songs from the new album, a performance from Zara and a special Q&A to hear her inspiration behind the new music.

If Zara’s 2025 breakthrough Midnight Sun was inspired by the feeling of an endless summer night, then Girls Trip is what happens when that night rolls into a whole season of pure pop energy. For the expanded set, the radiant Swedish star opens up her album and shouts, “Get in, girl!” to an international all-woman lineup including icons like Shakira, Robyn, Tyla, Kehlani, PinkPantheress, and more. Midnight Sun: Girls Trip crosses borders, genres, and vibes for a series of unforgettable musical moments of authentic self-expression and total freedom.

“Launching the remix of Midnight Sun with iHeartRadio and TikTok just feels right — that’s where the music is living and where the fans really are,” said Zara Larsson. “I’m so excited to finally give everyone an early taste of the remixes and special guests featured on the album and share some behind-the-scenes stories. It’s going to be a party and everyone’s invited.”

This is the third album release iHeartRadio and TikTok have partnered on, creating a next-generation release format that merges the scale of broadcast radio with the interactivity of a community-driven platform, delivering record-breaking results and outlining a new blueprint for artist launches moving forward.

“What we’ve seen with these iHeartMedia and TikTok Album Previews events is that when you combine massive reach with real fan connection, the results speak for themselves — billions of impressions, record‑breaking live engagement, and meaningful chart impact,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “This format has proven that turning an album release into a true live moment drives both discovery and fandom. Zara Larsson is an artist who thrives on authenticity and direct connection with her audience, and this kind of launch allows her to share her music and her story at scale, in a way that fans genuinely engage with. It’s exactly how new music should be introduced today.”

“TikTok LIVE is reshaping how audiences interact with their favorite artists and discover new music, and our partnership with iHeartMedia highlights the power of our engaged communities,” said Shen Gao, Head of US LIVE Operations. “Album Preview LIVEs highlight the momentum artists can continue to build on the platform around their work.”

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

About Zara Larsson

“Summer isn’t over yet” is more than a lyric from Zara Larsson’s perennial hit “Midnight Sun” — it’s a statement of purpose. A decade after dropping her first international single, 2015’s “Lush Life,” the GRAMMY-nominated Swedish sensation is taking her rightful place in the zeitgeist as a Main Pop Girl. In 2026, while her sold-out tour raged onward, she lodged three songs in the Hot 100: the recently viral “Lush Life” (#35, video nearing 1B views), “Midnight Sun” (#39), and PinkPantheress collab “Stateside” (#6, and #1 on the Global 200). All of that followed hot on the heels of Midnight Sun, Zara’s fourth, truest, and most vibrant album to date, made with a tight trusted team (MNEK, Margo XS, Helena Gao, Zhone) and unafraid to show all sides of the star: lovestruck, wistful, ambitious, flippant, fun, uncertain — often in the same breath. If that radiant LP was inspired by the feeling of an endless summer night in Stockholm, then the globe-trotting remix album, Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, is what happens when that night rolls into an infinite season of pure pop energy where everyone is invited. For the reinvented set, Zara opens up her acclaimed album and shouts, “GET IN, GIRL!” to a worldwide all-woman lineup including icons like Shakira, Robyn, Tyla, Kehlani, PinkPantheress, JT, and more. The collection crosses borders, genres, and vibes for a series of unforgettable musical moments of authentic self-expression, diverse artistry, and total hands-up, top-down, open-air freedom.

iHeartMedia and CitizenSkull Team Up To Develop Premium Scripted Podcasts and Announce First-Look Deal

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/23/2026 - 08:00

First show of the deal, a sci-fi podcast from best-selling comic book duo Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, set to launch this fall

NEW YORK – April 23, 2026 – iHeartMedia, the leading audio media company in America, has entered into a multi-year first-look development deal on all projects developed by CitizenSkull, the companies announced today. The partnership establishes an ongoing, multi-project relationship focused on developing and producing premium scripted audio content in the elevated genre space, with a focus on sci-fi and horror, and an emphasis on franchise-ready intellectual property (IP).

The first project under the deal will be “Prodigal,” a sci-fi thriller created and written by New York Times bestselling comic book duo Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, set to release this fall. The pair are known for their work across Marvel and DC, where they have written titles including Batman Beyond, Captain America, and Kang the Conqueror, building a reputation for high-concept, character-driven storytelling.

“We built this partnership with iHeart to create elevated genre storytelling that doesn’t just live in audio, but has the potential to expand across platforms,” said Butler. “’Prodigal’ is exactly the type of bold, high-concept IP we want to bring to market—grounded in character but designed to scale.”

“The deal underscores iHeartMedia’s continued commitment to high-end scripted audio, aligning with top-tier creative talent to develop original IP with multiplatform franchise potential,” said Will Pearson, President, iHeartPodcasts.

The series will be showrun by Kevin Arbouet, whose work spans film, television, and audio, and who previously served as showrunner on THE MOVE: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy for Audible.

Executive producing for CitizenSkull are Sean M. Butler and Mark Myers, with Butler also serving as Producer. Paul Yurick of The Future Party co-produces alongside Butler, and Boye Akolade serves as co-executive producer. Butler has established a track record in premium audio and franchise-driven storytelling, having developed, sold and served as Executive Producer on the first iteration of the hit sports podcast All The Smoke, which was sold to Showtime, and serving as Executive Producer and Producer on THE MOVE: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy alongside Oscar-nominated studio MACRO, led by Charles King.

About CitizenSkull

CitizenSkull is a production and management company focused on developing premium content across film, television and audio, with an emphasis on distinctive voices and franchise-driven storytelling.

iHeartMedia Hosts “iHeartRadio Album Preview with Foo Fighters” Including Never Before Heard Music From Your Favorite Toy, Airing Exclusively on iHeartRadio Stations on April 23

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/23/2026 - 08:00

Foo Fighters will share never before heard songs and stories with fans from the upcoming album, Your Favorite Toy, ahead of its official release on April 24

The event will broadcast exclusively on iHeartRadio Rock and Alternative stations on April 23 at 9 p.m. ET

WHAT: iHeartMedia today announced they will host the “iHeartRadio Album Preview with Foo Fighters” taking place on April 23 at 9 p.m. ET. Foo Fighters will share never before heard songs and stories with fans from the band’s upcoming album, Your Favorite Toy ahead of the album's official release on April 24. Taped at the iHeartRadio Los Angeles Theater and hosted by Johnny Knoxville, the broadcast will air exclusively on iHeartRadio Rock and Alternative stations and on Rock Nation digital station on the iHeartRadio app at 9 p.m. ET on April 23.

WHO: The 12th album in Foo Fighters’ 15-GRAMMY-Award-winning discography, Your Favorite Toy was recorded at home, co-produced by the band and Oliver Roman, and mixed by Mark “Spike” Stent. Your Favorite Toy’s release coincides with Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Rami Jaffee and Ilan Rubin embarking on their massive Take Cover world tour. For more information on the rock ’n’ roll stadium tour of the summer, go to foofighters.com.

WHEN: The broadcast will air on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET.

WHERE: “iHeartRadio Album Preview with Foo Fighters” will air across iHeartRadio Rock and Alternative stations and on Rock Nation digital station.

MORE: Photos from the event can be found HERE. Password: iHeartTheater2026

Photo credit in caption: (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio, Skyler Barberio for iHeartRadio)

iHeartPodcasts Launches “Look Back At It,” a New Weekly Series Hosted by Comedians Sam Jay and Alex English

iHeartMedia — Wed, 04/22/2026 - 08:00

Premiering April 29 in collaboration with “This Is Important,” the series follows the duo as they travel through time, exploring pop culture, politics and history with a comedic twist

Special guests include Larry Wilmore, Marie Faustin and more

Listen to the official trailer HERE

NEW YORK – April 22, 2026 – iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and the creators of the hit series “This Is Important” – Blake Anderson, Adam Devine and Anders Holm – today announced the premiere of “Look Back At It,” a new comedic history podcast hosted by Emmy-nominated writer and stand-up comic Sam Jay and acclaimed comedian Alex English. Fans can listen to the official trailer HERE.

The weekly series will feature hosts Jay and English hopping into a metaphorical time machine to spend a day in the past in hope of understanding the chaos that is sure to be the future. From pop culture and political news to scientific markers and medical breakthroughs, the duo alongside special guests including Larry Wilmore, Crissle West, Marc Lamont Hill, Tone Bell, Judy Gold, Clayton English, Mouse Jones, Sydnee Washington, Marie Faustin, Carl Jones and more will hold up a mirror to society and ask: “Did we really learn anything, or did we just become dumber?”

“Look Back At It” is co-produced by the team behind “This Is Important,” Anderson, Devine and Holm. The team first partnered with iHeart in 2020 following the success of their hit TV series “Workaholics” which has since grown into a broader production partnership now bringing “Look Back At It” under their franchise umbrella.

“I am truly thrilled to be doing this podcast with iHeart and the guys from ‘This Is Important.’ We have been homies for a while now so the chance to work with them on this project is what every artist dreams of—doing something cool with people you actually like,” said host Sam Jay. “And ‘Look Back At It’ is gonna fit well in their universe. Can’t wait for y’all to lock in and listen!! A time will be had for sure.”

“Let’s face the facts. The world needs more podcasts. Thankfully Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson from ‘This Is Important’ listened and are bringing you more podcasts that are the most critically, crucially, important podcasts that will shift the earth off its axis and change the trajectory of humankind… Allegedly,” said the “This Is Important” creators. “We are excited to help launch ‘Look Back At It.’ Sam Jay is someone we’ve always found hilarious, with a disarming, fresh take on all things important, and Alex English is the perfect sidekick to her raw and original humor. We know this is the perfect first step in expanding the franchise with our favorite corporate overlord iHeart!”

“Look Back At It” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard beginning April 29, 2026.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Podcast art is available for download HERE

Podcast Embed Player: <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-look-back-at-it-331039596/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

About Sam Jay

Stand-up comic and Emmy-nominated writer Sam Jay is best known as the Host and Executive Producer of HBO’s weekly late-night series Pause with Sam Jay. She also co-created and co-starred on the Peacock series Bust Down, with Langston Kerman, Jak Knight, and Chris Redd. She is a two-time Emmy nominee and WGA award nominee for her writing on Saturday Night Live. Sam’s first HBO special, Sam Jay: Salute Me Or Shoot Me, is now available to stream. Sam’s solo show We The People, just wrapped a hugely successful run at Edinburgh Fringe Fest in which the show was nominated for Best Comedy Show, and won The Uprise Award, which recognizes shows that dare to provoke, disrupt and reframe discussions. Sam was a standout on the dais at Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady. In 2018, she wrote for The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards and the MTV Movie & TV Awards, and in 2020 she wrote for the BET Awards. Sam was recently featured both on and off camera as the “Voice of God” announcer at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on NBC. In 2023, Sam recorded a set as part of Netflix’s Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration, along with Margaret Cho, Sandra Bernhard, Billy Eichner, and Eddie Izzard—now streaming on Netflix. Sam was named as one of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch in 2018, and a Comedy Central Comic to Watch in 2015, and in 2017 was selected for Just For Laughs: New Faces Showcase. She has performed on Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!; and released her Comedy Central Presents half hour to rave reviews. Sam has performed internationally at comedy clubs and festivals including the Vodafone Dublin Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot Festival, 208 Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Portland’s Bridgetown Festival, The Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival, Boston’s Women In Comedy Festival, among others. Sam’s 2020 special, Sam Jay: 3 in the Morning, is now available to stream on Netflix. Sam can currently be seen opposite Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the Kenya Barris-directed feature film, You People, now on Netflix. Sam’s other TV credits include her hosting role on Ricking Morty, the Rick and Morty post-show on Adult Swim. Additional TV credits include The Eric Andre Show; HBO Max’s That Damn Michael Che; MTV’s SafeWord; a recurring role on TV Land’s Nobodies; Starz’s Take My Wife, Comedy Central’s White Flight, Crank Yankers, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, and Broad City; and Viceland’s Party Legends and Flophouse. Sam is originally from Boston and currently splits her time between New York and Atlanta.

About Alex English

Alex English is an Emmy-nominated writer and comedian whose credits include the upcoming Barbershop adaptation for Amazon, Bad Thoughts for Netflix and three seasons writing on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. New York Magazine listed English as a “Comedian You Should & Will Know” and The New York Times lauded him as one of “The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor.” His other writing credits include theNational Lampoon Radio Hour podcast, B.E.T’s The Rundown with Robin Thede and Netflix’sThe Fix with Jimmy Carr. As a performer, English has appeared on such shows as Paramount+’s Inside Amy Schumer, HBOMax’s That Damn Michael Che, HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay and High Maintenance. He also appeared on Peacock’s New York After Dark and the Ilana Glazer produced Tight Five for Comedy Central Digital. As a stand up, he headlines clubs around the country and has opened for such comedians as Michael Che, Roy Wood, Jr., Michelle Wolf, Colin Jost and Sam Morril.

Lauren Alaina, George Birge, Chase Matthew, RaeLynn and Josh Ross to Perform at the Daytime Village at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One on May 2

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/16/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK- April 16, 2026- iHeartMedia announced today the lineup for the Daytime Village at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One on Saturday, May 2 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. CT at the Dell Technologies Plaza of Moody Center in Austin, TX.  The free daytime event will feature performances by Lauren Alaina, George Birge, Chase Matthew, RaeLynn and Josh Ross. The Daytime Village will also feature interactive experiences by iHeartRadio's brand partners.

Now in its thirteenth year, the 2026 main stage lineup will feature Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Carly Pearce, Shaboozey, Lauren Alaina, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, Gretchen Wilson, Chase Matthew and special guest George Birge. The festival is once again hosted by iHeartMedia's nationally syndicated top on-air Country personality, Bobby Bones.

Tickets to the main stage at the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival are on sale now at TicketMaster.com.

Hulu will be the Official Streaming Destination of the festival, with performances livestreamed exclusively to all Hulu subscribers. Additional information about the livestream will be posted across Hulu’s platform and social media channels. The event will also broadcast across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and the iHeartRadio app on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT).

iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One is an iHeartMedia Production. Proud partners of this year’s event include presenting partner Capital One, Bobcat, Booking.com, Electric for All, She Rises Studios, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, with more to be announced.

For more information visit iHeartRadio.com/countryfestival.

Artists and/or events subject to change or cancellation without notice.

iHeartPodcasts, Thoroughbred Studios and Goldhawk Productions Launch “Saigon” – An Epic Story About Love and War in Vietnam

iHeartMedia — Wed, 04/15/2026 - 08:00

New Scripted Audio Series Based on the Bestselling Novel by Anthony Grey Brings to Life a Gripping Saga of Love, Blood and Revolution Starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict

Series Premieres Wednesday, April 22

Listen to the Official Trailer Now HERE

NEW YORK — April 15, 2026 — iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, Thoroughbred Studios and Goldhawk Productions today announced the launch of “Saigon,” a powerful new scripted fiction podcast that tells an epic story of love, war and power set against the backdrop of twentieth-century Vietnam.

Based on the bestselling novel by Anthony Grey, “Saigon” is narrated by Kelly Marie Tran (“Star Wars,” “Raya and the Last Dragon”) and also stars Rob Benedict (“Supernatural,” “Felicity.”) “Saigon” is the second title to be released from the Thoroughbred Studios and iHeartMedia slate of historical podcasts, focused on significant events and figures that have shaped the past century. Listen to the trailer for “Saigon” now HERE.

Premiering Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the series follows an American journalist who arrives in a city of glamour and colonial power — and falls in love with a woman whose divided loyalties draw him into a world of revolution, danger and impossible choices. It is an epic saga that unfolds across decades of upheaval, moving from the final days of French colonial rule to the earliest years of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, weaving personal stories through defining historical moments — from Ho Chi Minh to the burning monk, to the bombing of Hanoi. “Saigon” delivers a rich, immersive portrait of a country and a family shaped by political intrigue, personal stakes and sweeping historical change. The series also traces how the war — the first to be televised — came home to America, reshaping public opinion and a nation itself. Blending romance, adventure and historical drama, “Saigon” tells a powerful story of resilience and identity set against one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.

“My parents came to the United States as refugees from Vietnam and were separated from their own parents for more than two decades,” said Kelly Marie Tran, Narrator. “That experience is what drew me to ‘Saigon’—a story about family, distance and the ties that endure across generations. I see my parents as heroes, much like the people you’ll meet in this drama.”

“What struck me about ‘Saigon’ is how immediate it feels. It may be set in the past, but it’s really about people caught in forces much bigger than themselves—trying to hold on to love, identity and truth as the world shifts around them. It’s epic in scope, but at its heart it’s deeply human, and that’s what makes it so powerful,” said Rob Benedict, who plays Joseph.

“Saigon” is part of iHeartPodcasts’ ongoing collaboration with Thoroughbred Studios, a joint venture from Jeff Bewkes (former Chairman and CEO of Time Warner), Sir Howard Stringer (former Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation) and television veteran Jeremy Fox. Building on series including “Buzz: The Man & the Moon,” the partnership focuses on developing premium podcasts that explore defining moments and untold stories from the past century, bringing cinematic storytelling to some of the most consequential events in modern history.

“’Saigon’ resonates deeply with me because it brings back powerful memories,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Executive Producer. “Just six weeks after arriving in America, I was drafted and sent to Vietnam. I could have returned to the UK, but I knew my future lay in the United States and felt a duty to serve. It was my great adventure, and I chose to take that risk — a decision that proved to be both the right choice and a profoundly valuable experience.”

“Recording ‘Saigon’ in the city itself—now Ho Chi Minh City—was central to capturing the spirit of the drama,” added John Scott Dryden, Director. “Working with local people, authentic music and an exceptional local crew allowed us to create something that feels truly lived-in and emotionally real. The city doesn’t simply provide a backdrop—it becomes a character in the story.”

“Great storytelling has the power to transport listeners and bring history to life in a deeply personal way,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “‘Saigon’ is exactly the kind of premium storytelling we’re proud to bring to audiences to deliver a story that will resonate with listeners and stay with them long after each episode.”

“Saigon” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available weekly on Wednesdays with the first episode premiering April 22 on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Editor’s Note

Download the show cover art HERE.
Include the “Saigon” audio player directly into your article using the embed code below:

iHeartMedia Spotlights New Music from Evanescence, Doechii & Lady Gaga, Teddy Swims, The Strokes, PJ Morton, Peter Frampton ft. Tom Morello

iHeartMedia — Fri, 04/10/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – April 10, 2026 – iHeartMedia highlighted new music and artists alike this week with special programming, including new World Premiere debuts, New Music Friday Features and more.

On April 9 and 10, Evanescence’s “Who Will You Follow” had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartRadio Rock and optional Alternative stations. Also on those days, iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations had the option to feature two new releases across their New Music Friday slots: Doechii & Lady Gaga’s collaboration “Runway” for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” soundtrack and Teddy Swims’ new single “Mr. Know It All.”

Earlier in the week, iHeartRadio stations aired several World Premiere debuts across various genres: PJ Morton’s “Mercy” made its debut across iHeartRadio Gospel stations on April 9; Peter Frampton ft. Tom Morello’s “Lions At The Gate” made its debut across iHeartRadio Classic Rock stations on April 9; and iHeartRadio Alternative stations aired the World Premiere debut of The Strokes’ new single “Going Shopping” on April 7 and 8.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

Exactly Right Media Welcomes Popular True Crime Podcasts “Disgraceland” And “Hollywoodland” To Its Programming Slate

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/09/2026 - 08:00

Through Exactly Right Media’s exclusive distribution and co-production partnership with iHeart, host Jake Brennan’s popular series will also join iHeartPodcasts’ network of shows

LOS ANGELES – April 9, 2026 – Exactly Right Media (ERM), the podcast network behind “My Favorite Murder,” and iHeartPodcasts welcome award-winning true crime podcaster Jake Brennan and his hit podcasts “Disgraceland” and its celebrity spin-off “Hollywoodland” to their joint slate of shows. “Disgraceland” and “Hollywoodland” will continue to be produced by Double Elvis and executive produced by ERM and iHeartPodcasts.

Since its launch in 2018, “Disgraceland” has become one of the most successful music podcasts in the world revealing the deeply human, highly dramatic, true crime–fueled chaos behind legendary musicians. Known for its award-winning cinematic sound design and immersive storytelling, this weekly series explores the dark side of legendary artists like Amy Winehouse, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Grateful Dead, Blondie and more. The show dives into music history like it’s never been heard before—edge-of-the-seat stories exploding with drama and the kind of information that will make listeners dangerous at dinner parties.

“‘My Favorite Murder’ was one of the podcasts that inspired me to create ‘Disgraceland’ and the folks at iHeart were some of the first to believe in the show,” said Brennan. “After I launched ‘Disgraceland,’ Karen, Georgia and I became friends, and there always seemed to be this unspoken shared willingness to work with each other at some point. That point in time is now, and I couldn’t be happier. What they’ve built with the Exactly Right Network is truly inspiring, and there seems to be enormous cross-over potential between fans of ‘My Favorite Murder’ and ‘Disgraceland.’ Like Karen and Georgia, Murderinos have great taste in music, so this partnership makes perfect sense.”

“We are thrilled to welcome our old friend Jake Brennan to the Exactly Right network,” says CEO Karen Kilgariff. “We’ve always loved the incredible shows he makes and so does our audience, so it’s a match made in podcasting heaven.”

As part of the deal, “Hollywoodland,” the first true spin-off of “Disgraceland,” will also join the Exactly Right Media slate of shows. Hosted and produced by Brennan, the series meets at the corner of Hollywood and true crime and explores the lives of some of the most celebrated actors and actresses through the true crimes that have most impacted them. Show topics include the mysterious death of Brittany Murphy; David Lynch and the real-life brutal murder that inspired Twin Peaks; Steve McQueen’s brush with Charles Manson and many more.

“Jake Brennan is one of the most compelling storytellers in podcasting, and ‘Disgraceland’ and ‘Hollywoodland’ are true standouts in the industry,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “These shows draw listeners in with unforgettable narratives that keep them coming back week after week. We’re excited to deepen our partnership with Exactly Right Media and to help grow these incredible series across iHeartPodcasts.”

New episodes of “Disgraceland” drop every Tuesday along with additional listener-driven bonus episodes on Thursdays and curated “Rewind” releases from the show’s extensive archive each Sunday. Scripted episodes of “Hollywoodland” post on Mondays, with bonus episodes on Wednesdays and Fridays. All Exactly Right Media shows are distributed by iHeartPodcasts and are available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

ABOUT JAKE BRENNAN

Jake Brennan is the creator and host of DISGRACELAND––the most downloaded music podcast in the world––and author of the book DISGRACELAND: Musicians Getting Away With Murder And Behaving Very Badly, published in 2019 by Grand Central/Hachette. DISGRACELAND has won multiple awards, including an Ambie for Best Original Score and Music Supervision, a Webby and iHeartPodcast Award for Best Music Podcast, and Brennan was named one of the Hollywood Reporter's "40 Most Powerful People In Podcasting." Jake also hosts Disgraceland’s spinoff series, Hollywoodland, which explores true crime and scandals involving Hollywood’s most legendary stars.

ABOUT DOUBLE ELVIS

Double Elvis explores life through the lens of music and the stories behind the music that captivate us. Double Elvis embraces that spirit, rooted in podcasting, and created an audio destination for music fans to find themselves, co-founded by Jake Brennan, creator & host of the Disgraceland podcast.

ABOUT EXACTLY RIGHT MEDIA

The Exactly Right podcast network provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. Created by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the hit podcast My Favorite Murder, the Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics and voices, serving the highly engaged listenership of My Favorite Murder and beyond.

iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Launch New Comedy Podcast “Soccer Moms”

iHeartMedia — Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:00

This fully improvised comedy podcast, hosted by Katie Rich and Holly Laurent, features guest comedians including Jason Mantzoukas, Bobby Moynihan and Lisa Lampanelli

The all star cast rotates through each hilarious episode, tailgating on the sidelines of a fictional youth soccer league

WHAT: “Soccer Moms,” a fully improvised comedy podcast celebrating the friendships that arise around two moms tailgating their kids’ soccer games, debuts today from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players podcast network (BMP).

Set on the sidelines of a suburban youth soccer league, this fictional series is hosted by seasoned improv comedians Katie Rich and Holly Laurent, AKA Leanne and Janet – two best friends who unpack life and friendship from the back of a crumb-filled Honda Odyssey. Each episode features guest comedians jumping in as characters, creating a rotating cast of unlikely sideline companions. Blending sharp improv with character-driven storytelling, “Soccer Moms” captures the humor and heart of suburban life, grounded in the enduring bond between two best friends and their ever-expanding community.

The premiere episode, “Zero vs. Zero,” features guest appearances from Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth, The Good Place), Lisa Lampanelli (2 Broke Girls, The Aristocrats) and Brendan Jennings (A.P. Bio, Thunder Force). Leanne and Janet launch their improvised podcast while tailgating their kids’ scoreless soccer game, pulling in the team’s new coach, Todd Greco (Mantzoukas), before Leanne’s blunt, oversharing mom Mickey (Lampanelli) crashes the scene, culminating in a chaotic and unexpectedly heartfelt moment with a message from Leanne’s husband Don (Jennings).

WHO: Seasoned improv comedians and Second City Chicago alumni Katie Rich and Holly Laurent. Full bios below.

WHEN: Debuting today, April 7, 2026 with new episodes available on Tuesdays.

WHERE: “Soccer Moms” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. See the full lineup of Big Money Player podcasts HERE.

EMBED PLAYER: <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-soccer-moms-328577271/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

ASSETS: Hi-Res Show Art HERE

About Katie Rich

Katie Rich is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody award-winning writer, actor and producer who attended Northwestern University before joining Chicago’s Second City. There, she wrote and starred in three Mainstage reviews, including the critically acclaimed “South Side of Heaven.” After Second City, Katie joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live, where she worked for seven seasons. She left SNL in 2020 to pursue narrative comedy, and so far has co-created, starred in and executive produced a show for Netflix (Chicago Party Aunt, Season Two coming soon!), developed a pilot with Fox based on her life growing up as the only college-bound member of a blue collar, Midwestern family, and served a co-ep on the Warner Brothers/DC Studios show Kite Man: Hell Yeah! You can see her in various commercials, on Netflix’s It’s Bruno!, or hear her on a ton of animated shows like Our Cartoon President as well as audio shows like HBO MAX's The Batman Audio Adventures and The Flash: Midnight Circus. She has written for and consulted on many award shows such as The Emmys, The Academy Awards, The Golden Globes, The ESPYs, and NFL Honors as well as The White House Correspondents Dinner and various Comedy Central Roasts. Katie is currently the co-showrunner of the hit animated show Harley Quinn and just inked a deal with WB/MAX to develop a multi-generational animated half-hour comedy.

About Holly Laurent

Holly Laurent is the creator and host of the hit comedy podcast MEGA, and co-host and producer of It's a Wonderful Lie (audiochuck). Her writing has been featured in Defenestration Magazine, Mayday Magazine, and her essay, Villain, was Nominated for a 2021 Pushcart Prize. She is an alumnus of the Second City main stage in Chicago where she wrote and performed three critically acclaimed revues. She toured with the Second City national touring company and was a featured performer at the TBS Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. Holly holds an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College. Her film and television credits include A.P. Bio (NBC), All Rise (CBS All Access), Tacoma FD (truTV), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Food: The Source of Life (Adult Swim), Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Barely Famous (VH1), Funny or Die: Exclusives, The Nosebleeds (UFC), The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS) and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Max).

iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network Announces The 2025 “Pitch Your Podcast” Winner “The Black Mother Wound Podcast”

iHeartMedia — Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:00

Listen to “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” HERE

The “Pitch Your Podcast” booth returns to the 2026 Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm® held on April 25 in Atlanta, GA

NEW YORK – April 7, 2026 – iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect today welcomed “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” to its network—the winner selected from the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth at the 2025 Black Effect Podcast Festival last year.

The show, hosted by Jennifer Arnise, is a weekly space for Black women navigating the complicated, often painful relationships they have with their mothers – and the lasting impact those relationships have on their lives. “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” centers honest, unfiltered conversations about the generational patterns many were never allowed to name. Along with Arnise and her guest, the show will explore how the mother wound shows up in boundaries, relationships, bodies, ambition and sense of self.

“Winning the ‘Pitch your Podcast’ contest was so validating and made me feel like my voice and the hidden stories of Black women really matter,” said host Arnise. “This podcast is a love letter to Black girls who never felt seen or heard by their mothers and feels like getting the best advice from your tough but loving big sister and your drunk bestie. It’s what I wish I would’ve had when I started my healing journey.”

“This show not only represents an underserved topic that impacts many women, but it's also a vehicle to healing and we’re proud to bring ‘The Black Mother Wound Podcast’ to our listeners,” said Dollie S. Bishop, President of Production and Creative Development for the Black Effect Podcast Network. “We were impressed with Jennifer’s pitch submitted at the Black Effect Festival’s ‘Pitch Your Podcast’ and are glad to have her meaningful and impactful show join our network.”

The launch comes ahead of the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm where the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth will once again be available for festival attendees. The activation allows creators to pitch their shows to members of the Black Effect team for the chance to join the network.

The 2026 Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm will take place April 25 from noon to 8 p.m. ET at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, GA, and will be hosted by founder Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club with Loren LoRosa, host of “The Latest with Loren LoRosa Podcast.” Tickets are on sale now. For more information on ticket pricing and this year’s festival lineup, visit blackeffect.com/podcastfestival.

The Black Effect Podcast Network is the leading platform for Black creators to raise their voices and be heard in the podcast space. It brings together the most influential and trusted voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental health, news, comedy and more. Launched in September 2020, the Black Effect Podcast Network has debuted a luminous roster of marquee talent and culture-shifting voices committed to enlightening, educating and entertaining audiences, curated by Charlamagne Tha God himself. The full list of network shows can be found here.

“The Black Mother Wound Podcast” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. New episodes available weekly on Tuesdays.

About Jennifer Arnise

Jennifer Arnise is a writer, speaker, and healing facilitator dedicated to helping Black women heal the painful relationship with their mother. She teaches women how to rebuild emotional safety, identity, self-worth, and autonomy. Her work blends psychology, spirituality, vulnerable storytelling, and lived experience to help women release shame, break survival patterns, and finally come home to themselves.

About The Black Effect Podcast Network

The Black Effect Podcast Network is a transformative network founded by renowned cultural architect, executive producer, bestselling author, and media mogul Charlamagne Tha God in a historic joint venture with the world’s number-one commercial podcast publisher, iHeartMedia. Charlamagne and iHeartMedia created the groundbreaking first-ever Black Effect Podcast Network, celebrating the essential Black culture-shapers on the planet—in education, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and sports. The Black Effect Podcast Network gives rise to emerging and established content creators and storytellers whose perspectives and creative visions have been marginalized and overlooked while serving an audience that has been underserved. The Black Effect Podcast Network helps its partners define their place in podcast culture through influence, ideas, and experiences that engage, inspire, inform, and empower. See the full catalog of shows, here.

New Season The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe

iHeartMedia — Mon, 04/06/2026 - 08:00

Co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, season five episodes release weekly from April 13, wherever you get your podcasts

Trailer Here

LONDON and NEW YORK – April 6, 2026 – When a group of women from all over the country realise they’ve all dated the same prolific romance scammer, they vow to work together to finally bring him to justice.

The Global No. 1 podcast, "The Girlfriends” co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, returns next week with a brand new season; “Trust Me Babe.” Trailer here.

Over 6 episodes, award winning journalist and host Anna Sinfield will meet a group of funny, feisty, determined women, who all had the misfortune of dating con-man Derek Alldred who - in 2018 -was sentenced to 24 years in prison, and was linked to 25 victims.

She’ll learn about a mysterious man who went to almost unimaginable lengths - fake names, fake uniforms, false identities, forged documents, impersonating friends and family - to deceive the women he was dating. And all the while, developing a pattern of fraud that saw some victims lose life savings, homes, livelihoods, and perhaps worst of all, their ability to trust.

And on top of that, he seemed to keep getting away with it. Bouncing from one state to another, Derek just kept slipping through the cracks. The women he left behind faced dismissiveness from law enforcement, and stigma from the public whenever they came forward with their experiences.

In the void that was created by that inaction, from those who could’ve helped sooner, this group of girlfriends instead found each other. Across years and state lines, they formed a shared Facebook group chat, built timelines, kept track, and took the matter of justice into their own hands.

This season features a rescue operation orchestrated by some hockey-loving nurses in Minnesota, a pair of DIY detective sisters in Hawaii, a final showdown in the parking valet of a hospital in Texas, and so much more.

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe isn’t your classic scam story about a charismatic con-man. It’s a story about a group of powerful women who looked out for each other when no one else would, and the protective forces of gossip, gut instinct, and trusting your besties.

“The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe” launches everywhere you get your podcasts on April 13, with new episodes published weekly on Mondays.

“The Girlfriends” podcast franchise is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

About Anna Sinfield

Anna Sinfield is the multi award-winning journalist and creator behind iHeartPodcasts’ global No.1 hit podcast, “The Girlfriends.”

For over a decade Sinfield has reported on stories of extraordinary women who have fought back against injustice - or simply, done very cool things. She has met and interviewed countless inspiring people, from women who’ve been wrongfully convicted and life-risking activists, to those who’ve escaped cults.

Her work combines a highly empathetic approach to interviewing, with razor sharp writing and a musician’s ear for emotional resonance. In 2025, Sinfield officially became “The Girlfriends” lead host and guiding star, introducing listeners around the world to new Girlfriends and their shocking and inspiring stories.

About Novel

iHeartMedia World Premieres New Singles from OneRepublic, Dan + Shay, Luke Bryan, Miley Cyrus and Brantley Gilbert

iHeartMedia — Fri, 04/03/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – April 3, 2026 – iHeartMedia recently highlighted new music and artists alike with special programming, including World Premiere debuts and more.

On Friday, OneRepublic's "Need Your Love" had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations and Dan + Shay's "Say So" had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartCountry stations.

Last week, Luke Bryan's "Country And She Knows It" had a World Premiere debut on March 27 across all iHeartCountry stations, Miley Cyrus' "Younger You" had a World Premiere debut on March 26 across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations and Brantley Gilbert's "Good Damn" had a World Premiere debut on March 26 across all iHeartCountry stations.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

iHeartMedia Announces Ann Marie Licata as CEO of the Multiplatform Group

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/02/2026 - 08:00

New York, NY – iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, today announced Ann Marie Licata as CEO of the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group, the largest of the company’s three operating segments. The company’s other two operating segments will continue to be led by Conal Byrne, CEO of the Digital Audio Group, and Mark Gray, CEO of the Audio and Media Services Group.

The Multiplatform Group includes the iHeartMedia Markets Group, which operates the company’s 860+ local broadcast radio stations; the iconic iHeart live events and sponsorships; the radio networks businesses, including Premiere and TTWN; the Enterprise Business Development Group; and data targeting and attribution products for broadcast radio. Licata was previously iHeart’s President, Markets Group & Sales Operations.

The company also announced that Bernie Weiss will be promoted to President of the Markets Group. Weiss will oversee the operations of the company’s 160 markets. Weiss was previously Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartMedia Markets Group.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that Ann Marie will be leading the growth and innovation efforts for our company’s largest segment,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “In addition to helping businesses and brands grow effectively and efficiently, the Multiplatform Group has been an important engine to develop our own important new businesses -- including podcasting and the iHeartRadio digital service -- as well as our iconic live music events and awards shows. We look forward to the additional growth that will come as we move broadcast radio into the digital buying world through our data services and programmatic platforms.”

“We have a diversified business at iHeart, with our Multiplatform Group, the Digital Audio Group and the Audio and Media Services Group, and we’re very pleased that Ann Marie has taken on the responsibility for the Multiplatform Group at such an important time for the company,” said Rich Bressler, President and COO of iHeartMedia, Inc.

In this new organization, Julie Donohue, President of the Enterprise Development Group and Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks, will now report directly to Licata.

Veteran Tech Journalist And Mostly Human Ceo Laurie Segall Sits Down Exclusively With Openai Ceo Sam Altman For His First Interview Since Shutting Down Sora And The Department Of War Deal

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/02/2026 - 08:00

From Power to Parenthood, Tech Addiction and AI Acceleration, Segall Interviews Altman About AI’s Human Toll and The Weight Of His and OpenAI’s Influence

Listen to the Full Conversation on iHeartPodcasts’ “Mostly Human With Laurie Segall” HERE and Watch It on Mostly Human Media YouTube Channel HERE

Conversation Highlights Include:

On OpenAI’s Deal with the Department of War, Altman tells Segall: “Are AI companies or are governments more powerful? And I think it's very important that the governments are more powerful… We have to work with government, but the intensity of the current mood of mistrust, I was miscalibrated on.”
On Considering Integrating Sora Into ChatGPT Before Shuttering It: “It’s all about compute.” Adding, “Before the compute crunch came, we were talking about putting it into the ChatGPT app… but one thing we realized is that would have put a series of incentives on us and would've led to a bunch of decisions to win that we just didn't want to make.”
On Parenting, Altman says: “I don't know when I would let [my son] talk to AI, but I’d rather be on the late end of what's reasonable… He'll grow up in a world where computers are smarter than him and do anything he wants, but… I wanted him to play in the dirt for now.”
On AI Unicorns, Altman believes there’s already a one-person, billion dollar company powered fully by AI agents: “It is a legitimate single person… a massively successful company with one person.”

NEW YORK – April 2, 2026 – Award-winning tech journalist and Mostly Human CEO Laurie Segall today released a sit down conversation with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at his home for a wide-ranging, revealing interview unlike any he’s ever given before. For the first time, Altman discussed OpenAI’s shutdown of Sora and the Department of War deal since making headlines on both of those issues recently. During the conversation, Segall also asked Altman about the human stakes of the AI revolution and more. Segall, who has interviewed Altman many times over the past 15 years, offers a rare window into both the man himself and the human impact of the technology he’s shaping.

The interview was released today on the new iHeartPodcast, “Mostly Human with Laurie Segall,” a series that explores tech through the human lens. Audio of the full interview is available now on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere you get your podcasts. Video available on the Mostly Human Media YouTube channel.

In the interview, Altman revealed he thinks the first one-person, billion-dollar AI company already exists; warned of short-term job disruption requiring economic redesign; and shared his belief that "abundance" is the one word defining his life's work. He also describes a near-term future where automated AI researchers could compress a decade of scientific discovery into a single year, fundamentally reshaping innovation. But that idealism sits against a complex backdrop with fundamental human questions at stake. Perhaps most noteworthy, Altman and Segall debate in depth the complexities and opportunities of raising a child in a world that will be fundamentally transformed by the tech Altman has ushered in.

“Mostly Human with Laurie Segall” debuted last week with first guest Dr. Becky Kennedy, where the two moms confronted raising kids in an AI world. One intention of the podcast is to let episodes speak to each other. Segall played a clip from Dr. Becky for Sam Altman about AI’s impact on parenting, prompting Altman to discuss conversations he’s having with his own son about AI.

Mostly Human Media, Laurie Segall's creator-led media company and podcast of the same name, aims to bridge Silicon Valley power with real-world human impact, tackling AI's effect on parenting, jobs, relationships and our most fundamental human traits through immersive conversations and investigations.

The “Mostly Human with Laurie Segall” series is co-produced and distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

Click here to view/download more photos. Photo credit: Mostly Human with Laurie Segall.

Download the podcast cover art HERE. Credit: iHeartPodcasts

About Laurie Segall and Mostly Human Media:

Mostly Human Media is Laurie Segall’s creator-led media and entertainment network focused on the deeply human implications of technology. Through original reporting, intimate interviews, and investigations into the real-world impact of AI, the company aims to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and the people living with the consequences of its innovations.