You’re invited to the Engagement Party, a podcast where we share the culture, content and ideas we’re engaging with, and why we’re obsessed.
In this special episode of The Assignment, Audie Cornish reunites with Ari Shapiro to talk about… gay hockey. The two friends share their thoughts on the rise of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, discuss how their trajectories may follow everyone from Jennifer Lawrence to Timothée Chalamet, and examine what it takes to be and stay famous in 2026.
They also debate the idea of “friction-maxxing” following a New York magazine article, quiz each other on the latest pop culture, and share their favorite real-world discoveries.
00:00 Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro reunite
00:50 Heated Rivalry’s rise in popularity
02:13 Behind the Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams fandom
03:06 Hudson Williams on Jimmy Fallon
05:15 Comparing the fame trajectories of Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet
06:57 The backlash against Sydney Sweeney and Chappell Roan
08:12 “Friction-maxxing” and what it means
13:12 Why it’s good to be bored
14:44 Why drinking is going down
16:34 Very Important Quiz: What did you miss in culture this week?
19:45 Touch Grass: Recommendations for disconnecting from the internet
#HeatedRivalry #Celebrity #News