Why Work Spouses Can Be a Secret Weapon | Engagement Party

Why Work Spouses Can Be a Secret Weapon | Engagement Party

From The Assignment with Audie Cornish by CNN Podcasts

March 5, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

Audie Cornish reunites with Ari Shapiro to explore the concept of work spouses and their impact on careers and collaboration.

Are work spouses actually a thing? And what turns a desk-mate into a ride-or-die? In this special episode of The Assignment, Audie Cornish reunites with former work husband and longtime co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro. They dive into the stories that defined their careers, the push and pull of competition in the newsroom, and the ways creative collaborators develop shared languages—from Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Taped live at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Audie Cornish

Guest: Ari Shapiro

Topics covered

  • work spouses
  • collaboration
  • competition
  • creative partnerships
  • career stories

Keywords

  • work spouses
  • collaboration
  • competition
  • career
  • NPR
  • All Things Considered
  • On Air Fest

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR, CNN Podcasts

Books & works: All Things Considered

Places: Brooklyn, New York

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