In this episode, Robyn Curnow reflects on her years writing obituaries for global giants — from Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela to Pope John Paul II and Muhammad Ali — and why she always found them strangely uplifting.

Because an obituary isn’t really about death. It’s about shape.

It’s about distilling a messy, complicated life into its through-line: courage, ambition, service, love.

From historic state funerals to the handwritten obituary of a Southern raconteur who framed his own ending, this episode explores why America loves obituaries — and what they reveal about reinvention, meritocracy, and the stories we tell about ourselves.

In an age of constant self-broadcasting, the obituary may be the most honest genre left.

And whether we like it or not — we’re all writing our own.

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• Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
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More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

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Donald Trump isn’t playing chess.

He’s playing poker.

And once you see that, American politics start to feel less like a grandmaster tournament - and more like a high-stakes table in Vegas.

This week on Searching for America, I ask what happens when a country that increasingly thinks in bets elects a president who governs like a gambler. From tariffs and brinkmanship to Super Bowl wagers and prediction markets pricing everything from elections to the end of the world - belief in America isn’t just argued anymore.

It’s priced.

We’re living in an odds era.

So the question is: when everyone’s at the table, who’s bluffing - and who’s about to call?

READ MORE ON ROBYN'S BLOG

http://robyncurnow.substack.com

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

http://youtube.com/@therobyncurnow

MORE ON ROBYN

http://www.robyncurnow.net

http://www.x.com/robyncurnow

http://instagram.com/robyncurnow

• Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
  Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
• Visit her website here.
• To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.

More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Where will the next war start? Not on a border. Not at sea. But a few hundred miles above our heads.

The most important battlefield of the future isn’t on Earth. Power is shifting - not across borders, but above them. Space is the next frontier because it's the backend of our modern life.

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how space has become the next battlefield, and why lower Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars are now central to U.S. vs China strategic competition. From my surreal interview with Buzz Aldrin to the rise of military satellites, AI infrastructure in space, and missile defense systems, this episode breaks down how geopolitics, national security, and space technology are converging.

This isn’t science fiction. It’s modern warfare - fought through satellite interference, space-based AI, orbital dominance, and deterrence strategy. Because in every conflict, the side that holds the high ground wins - and this time, it’s literal.

Thanks for listening, Robyn Curnow

Blog and free newsletter from Robyn each week

http://robyncurnow.substack.com

Watch on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/@therobyncurnow

More about Robyn Curnow

http://www.robyncurnow.net

• Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
  Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
• Visit her website here.
• To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.

More about Robyn's public speaking
Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.