During the pilot of Engagement Party, his new CNN video podcast with Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro recalled the last time he was truly, wonderfully bored: a week of camping with friends, phone turned off. However much he might value
stillness, Shapiro’s career has been anything but. His CNN role follows a
decade-long run as a host of NPR’s All Things Considered. And his side quests are countless. He and Alan Cumming have performed a cabaret-style show, Och & Oy, since 2019, and he frequently sings alongside Pink Martini, including this September in Jacksonville, Eugene, and Astoria.

Shapiro has lived in DC for decades, but the 47-year-old, who went to Beaverton High, still claims Portland as his hometown. He understands the value of staying connected, whether that’s keeping a pulse on this city or showing up where his audience is. It’s meant embracing platforms like Instagram and TikTok. “That’s the reality of being in media when things are constantly evolving,” he says. “You just have to evolve with it.” Is there any platform he’s not on? “I’m not on OnlyFans. Yet, yet. Never say never.”

Favorite place in the city to clear your mind? The rose garden.

Favorite part of fall? Hunting for chanterelles with my parents.

Go-to restaurants for out-of-towners? Kann, Nong’s, and Måurice.

Food you hate that everyone seems to love? Uni. It’s not for me. It’s the texture and the flavor.

Local fall dish you love? A platter of stir-fried habanada peppers from the Park Blocks farmers market.

Shop that’s a well-kept secret? Kiriko Made.

Favorite Oregon road trip? Cascade Head. It’s a hike on the coast that has the best panoramic view.

Favorite TV show? The Comeback really grabbed me this season.

Eternal playlist song? “Tightrope” by Janelle Monae.

Who are your heroes? Thomas Lauderdale, Alan Cumming, and Fritz Haeg, the founder of Salmon Creek Farm.

Scariest career moment? The first time I was filing a story on deadline I deleted all of my audio, hours before the story was due.

A story you’re proud of? A journey from Senegal to Morocco to Spain, connecting the dots from climate change to global migration to political extremism.

The best gift you’ve received? For my 40th birthday, my husband surprised me with an audio documentary produced by one of my best friends, with voices of people who I had known my entire life.

What’s your mantra? There’s nowhere I need to go, there’s nothing I need to do. 

Best advice you’ve received? A line from the Talmud: It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to refrain from it.

Worst advice? Smell this.

What’s a misconception about the city? You can’t be a real Portlander unless you have piercings, tattoos, and/or facial hair.

What excites you about its future? Madam Cooper’s Cabaret gave me the kind of energy and excitement I felt as a kid discovering hidden gems.

Three words that describe Portland? Creative. Passionate. Damp.

Three words that describe you? Curious. Engaged. Game.