
‘Nunmania,’ the Woke Pope, and Gen-Z's Loneliness Content
From Engagement Party by CNN Podcasts
June 26, 2026 · 42 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the resurgence of Catholicism in pop culture and explores themes of loneliness among Gen-Z.
From pop stars like Rosalía and Lilly Allen in habits to nuns blessing Spurs players and praise for the “woke Pope,” Catholicism is in, and everywhere. But is it just about the aesthetics? Plus, why are people celebrating having no friends in their TikTok videos? And are those adorable videos of World Cup fans delighting in America’s air conditioning, oversized servings and ranch dressing for real? About the show: Welcome to Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s Engagement Party, where the hot takes are the smart takes. After years of working side by side, Audie and Ari have made it official with their pop culture video podcast. Party hopping between what you're watching, reading and scrolling, these longtime friends unpack what matters in our endless feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro
Topics covered
- Catholicism
- pop culture
- Gen-Z loneliness
- TikTok
- friendship
- World Cup
- aesthetics
Keywords
- Catholicism
- Gen-Z
- loneliness
- TikTok
- pop culture
- World Cup
- aesthetics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Spurs
Places: America
More episodes of Engagement Party
- Dating Apps Were Never About Romance · September 4, 2026 · 38 min
- Television's Prestige Hangover Era Is Here · August 28, 2026 · 38 min
- RushTok is Southern Soft Power · August 21, 2026 · 32 min
- Lauren Weedman From 'Hacks' Has Main Character Energy · August 14, 2026 · 42 min
- How Ella Langley Won the Electoral College of Culture · August 7, 2026 · 39 min
- Eddie Huang and the Power of "Sad Boy Lit" · July 31, 2026 · 35 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Engagement Party podcast page.