Just in case there had been any remaining doubt as to how far the mainstream media had fallen in the world, former host of NBC’s Today and CBS Evening News Katie Couric’s podcast Next Question served as a beautiful example Monday. Couric interviewed comedian Chelsea Handler about her new autobiographical work, I’ll Have What She’s Having. The book, and the conversation, were far from G-rated, with apparently very few details considered unfit for public consumption, and the conversation culminated with banter about Handler’s drug habit, and Couric seeming to jokingly say that she herself might try mushrooms sometime.
“I’m sorry, I meant to ask you this because I'm curious,” Couric began on the subject, “what's your relationship with drugs and alcohol these days, Chelsea?” She then went on to note that she herself never went beyond an occasional glass of wine or cocktail, but:
[Y]ou’ve had this very interesting kind of on-off relationship with drugs and alcohol. And I know during this kind of intense period when you started meditating and taking care of yourself and really kind of- to figure out what was going on inside of you, you gave it up. And I'm curious—what the situation is now?
Handler responded that she had quit drinking for a month due to medical treatment for an infection, to which Couric reminded her “You like mushrooms.” Handler responded:
I love LSD microdose, I love edibles, I love marijuana. I love all of it. I mean- that's never really changed. So, it just depends. I go in cycles. Sometimes I love everything, sometimes I don't do anything. But I have a pretty healthy relationship with it. I've never gotten to the point- anytime I've- been in my youth and gotten to the point where I thought I was in- abusing it, I've taken a long break. So I never wanted to get to the point where I had to give it up. And I think I've done a pretty good a job at that [sic].
After a laugh over what a fitting title I’ll Have What She’s Having was for the book, Couric admitted, “I've never had mushrooms.”
Handler was quick to assure her that, “mushrooms are so fun. You would just laugh your ass off, Katie, and that- and I know when people can do drugs or not. You would love mushrooms. You would. A light microdose, just the giggly kind.”
“All right, duly noted,” Couric responded. “[M]aybe if I do it one day, I’ll do it with you.”
Handler assured her she would indeed like it.
It was hilarious, but a tad pathetic, to watch as Katie Couric, once one of the most well-acclaimed, reputedly serious professional journalists in America, stooped to the level of devoting a podcast to jokes about the joys of drug usage.
To view full transcript, click "expand" to read:
Next Question With Katie Couric
02/24/2025KATIE COURIC: What's your- what's your relationship- I'm sorry, I- I meant to ask you this because I'm- I'm curious- what's your relationship with drugs and alcohol these days, Chelsea? Cause I know you've kind of- you know-
It will also shock you that I'm not really into drugs and I drink very rarely or occasionally. You know, I- I drink wine or I have a cocktail. But- um- you’ve had this very interesting kind of on-off relationship with drugs and alcohol.
And I know during this kind of intense period when you started meditating and taking care of yourself and really kind of- to figure out what was going on inside of you, you gave it up. And I'm curious- what the situation is now?
CHELSEA HANDLER: Uh, well, funnily enough, I had this- I had to get shoulder- I had to clean out- I had an infection in my shoulder. So that forced me into a month of sobriety because I'm on intravenous antibiotics every day. So I haven't had it- well, I just had a drink yesterday for the first time- or the day before.
Anyway, it was a month. That was nice. I welcomed it. It was a nice kind of breather before I had to hit the road and do all my press for my new book. So that was nice.
I mean, my relationship is, I'm always pro- I'm always pro-microdosing, alcohol. I- I have pretty-
COURIC: You like mushrooms. You like mushrooms-
HANDLER: I love LSD microdose, I love edibles, I love marijuana. I love all of it. I mean- that's never really changed.
Um- so, it just depends. I go in cycles. Sometimes I love everything, sometimes I don't do anything.
But I have a pretty healthy relationship with it. I've never gotten to the point- anytime I've- been in my youth and gotten to the point where I thought I was in- abusing it, I've taken a long break. So I never wanted to get to the point where I had to give it up. And, um, I think I've done a pretty good a job at that [sic].
COURIC: I was gonna say the book is called I'll Have What She's Having. [Laughs] That sounds very appropriate given what you just said. I've never had mushrooms.
HANDLER: I know, but mushrooms are so fun. You would just laugh your ass off, Katie, and that- and I know when people can do drugs or not. You would love mushrooms. You would. A light microdose, just the giggly kind.
COURIC: All right, well, duly noted, maybe if I do it one day, I'll do it with you.
HANDLER: Yeah, I- you know- I- like- I know you like to giggle, so you're gonna like it.
COURIC: All right. Well, I'm so happy to see you. Congratulations on the new book. It was really fun being with you and talking to you. And, um, good luck on the book tour.
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