STARTALK WITH NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON is back with more star power than ever! The three-time Emmy-nominated talk show returns on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 11/10c with 20 all-new episodes featuring mind-blowing conversations, scientific commentary and cosmic queries - all with a comedic punch. This season, hear from Katy Perry, Stephen Colbert, Lance Armstrong, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, Katie Couric, Kevin Smith, Sylvia Earle, Fabien Cousteau, Adrien Grenier, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and filmmaker James Cameron and more. This season's comedian co-hosts include Chuck Nice, Scott Adsit, Godfrey, Eugene Mirman, Sasheer Zamata and Maeve Higgins. Occasionally, Tyson calls on his friend Bill Nye the Science Guy to weigh in on the week's theme, while other influencers across pop culture and Science join via live video.
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, the first-ever science-based talk show on television, is derived from Tyson's popular radio show and podcast of the same name. Each episode features an intimate interview between Tyson and a guest from pop culture, politics, sports or news, in which they discuss how
Science and technology have affected their lives and careers. In addition to the centerpiece interview,
STARTALK episodes boast a panel of comedians and experts who analyze the conversation in front of a studio audience at the American Museum of Natural History's Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City - where Tyson serves as the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium.
Premiere Episodes Include:
Lance Armstrong Premieres Sunday, Oct. 1, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson features his interview with controversial world-champion cyclist Lance Armstrong. Tyson is joined in the Cullman Hall of the Universe by comedian co-host Scott Adsit, along with
Science journalist Max Glaskin and bioethics professor Arthur Caplan to discuss the
Science of cycling, sports ethics and performance enhancement. Adding to the discussion, Chuck Nice joins from the Sports
Science Lab to test cycling training techniques.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Premieres Sunday, Oct. 8, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Later, in the Cullman Hall of the Universe, Tyson is joined by comedian co-host Chuck Nice and astrophysicist Charles Liu to discuss the
Science and history of basketball as well as Abdul-Jabbar's legacy. NBA analyst and former 76er Jim Spanarkel joins the conversation in the studio.
Jane Goodall Premieres Sunday, Oct. 15, at 11/10c Legendary chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall joins host Neil deGrasse Tyson for a featured interview. Tyson is joined in the Cullman Hall of the Universe by comedian co-host Chuck Nice and biological anthropologist Jill Pruetz to discuss chimp behavior, animal and environmental ethics and the evolutionary differences between chimpanzees and humans. Primatologist and anthropologist Natalia Reagan joins the conversation from a chimpanzee sanctuary in Georgia.
Katie Couric Premieres Sunday, Oct. 22, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson features his interview with renowned news anchor Katie Couric. Tyson is joined in the Cullman Hall of the Universe by comedian co-host Eugene Mirman and journalism professor Jeff Jarvis to discuss the intersection of
Science and journalism. Adding to the discussion, Chuck Nice chimes in with the crowds at
THE MARCH for Science.
Kevin Smith Premieres Sunday, Oct. 29, at 11/10c Filmmaker, comic book fanatic and all around geek ambassador, Kevin Smith sits down with host Neil deGrasse Tyson. Later, in the Cullman Hall of the Universe, Tyson is joined by comedian co-host Chuck Nice and astrophysicist Charles Liu as they discuss
Science fiction, comic books and the
Science of superheroes.
STARTALK Science correspondent and anthropologist Natalia Reagan sends a dispatch from San Diego Comic-Con, where hundreds of thousands of fans converge to share their passion for comics,
Science fiction, movies, TV and cosplay.
SciFi Meets National Defense Premieres Sunday, Nov. 5, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with Arati Prabhakar, former head of the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Tyson is joined in the Cullman Hall of the Universe by comedian co-host Chuck Nice and national security journalist Sharon Weinberger to discuss the intersection of
Science fiction, technology and national defense. Adding to the discussion, rocket scientist Natalie Panek joins via video call and Hod Lipson demonstrates his self-aware robot.
Katy Perry Sunday, Nov. 12, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson joins Grammy-nominated pop star Katy Perry in Los Angeles, where Tyson answers all of her cosmic queries. In the Cullman Hall of the Universe, comedian co-host Sasheer Zamata and astrophysicist Charles Liu join Tyson to discuss
Science in pop culture and music.
Sylvia Earle, Fabien Cousteau & Adrian Grenier Sunday, Nov. 19, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson features his interviews with legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle and famed aquanaut Fabien Cousteau. Tyson is joined in the Cullman Hall of the Universe by comedian co-host Scott Adsit and marine biologist and conservationist Laure Katz to discuss ocean exploration and conservation. Adding to the discussion, actor and activist Adrian Grenier joins via video chat, and National Geographic
EXPLORER Erika Bergman shows off her submarine.
James Cameron Sunday, Nov. 26, at 11/10c As the 20th anniversary of James Cameron's film "Titanic" approaches, host Neil deGrasse Tyson features his interview with the legendary filmmaker and National Geographic explorer-in-residence. Cameron discusses everything from the inspiration behind his record-breaking film "Avatar" to his solo dive down to the deepest point of the Mariana Trench. Joining Tyson in the Cullman Hall of the Universe are comedian co-host Chuck Nice and astrophysicist Charles Liu to discuss the intersection of storytelling, exploration and science.
Celestial Navigation Sunday, Dec. 3, at 11/10c Host Neil deGrasse Tyson features his interview with master navigator Nainoa Thompson, an ocean voyager who uses the traditional Polynesian methods of non-instrument navigating. Joining Tyson in the Cullman Hall of the Universe are comedian co-host Maeve Higgins and celestial navigation expert Frank Reed to discuss the
Science of non-instrument navigating.
StarTalk is produced by Curved Light Productions and National Geographic Studios for National Geographic. For Curved Light Productions, executive producers are Neil deGrasse Tyson and Helen Matsos. For National Geographic Studios, executive producers are Brian Lovett and Drew Pulley, and executive vice president of production and development is Jeff Hasler. For National Geographic, executive producer is Betsy Forhan, vice president of production is Kevin Tao Mohs and president of original programming and production is Tim Pastore.
Image courtesy of Nat Geo Channel
