Beaverton High School graduate Ari Shapiro has a new CNN gig, a cabaret career on the side and three Oregon shows with Pink Martini on the horizon this September.
The 47-year-old journalist laid it all out in a Portland Monthly "Ripping the City" Q&A published Aug. 25.
Shapiro spent a decade hosting NPR's "All Things Considered" before joining CNN as a contributor in April to co-host "Engagement Party," a pop culture video podcast alongside former NPR colleague Audie Cornish. New episodes air every Friday on CNN's podcast platform.
He told Portland Monthly the move reflects a broader philosophy about survival in media: "That's the reality of being in media when things are constantly evolving. You just have to evolve with it."
Still rooted in Beaverton
Shapiro grew up in Portland, attended Beaverton High School and has lived in Washington, D.C., for decades. He still calls Portland home.
His fall ritual when he visits? Hunting for chanterelles with his parents. His go-to spot to clear his head? The International Rose Test Garden. Asked to describe Portland in three words, he answered: "Creative. Passionate. Damp."
Beyond journalism, Shapiro has performed a cabaret show called "Och & Oy" with actor Alan Cumming since 2019 and frequently sings with Portland-based band Pink Martini, whose founder Thomas Lauderdale he counts among his heroes.
Pink Martini's September Oregon dates
Fans hoping to catch Shapiro onstage won't need to travel far. Pink Martini has Oregon shows scheduled in early September:
- Sept. 3 — Britt Pavilion, Jacksonville
- Sept. 4 — Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene
- Early September — Liberty Theater, Astoria (check pinkmartini.com for the confirmed date)
Whether Shapiro will join the band for those dates was not confirmed in the profile.
Portland picks and career reflections
Shapiro shared his restaurant recommendations for visitors: Kann, Nong's and Måurice. His well-kept-secret shopping spot? Kiriko Made.
He singled out Madam Cooper's Cabaret as a venue that "gave me the kind of energy and excitement I felt as a kid discovering hidden gems."
His scariest career moment: the first time he filed a story on deadline, he accidentally deleted all his audio hours before it was due.
A story he's proud of traced a reporting journey from Senegal to Morocco to Spain, connecting climate change, global migration and political extremism.
For his 40th birthday, his husband surprised him with an audio documentary featuring voices of people Shapiro had known his entire life.
Upcoming
- Sept. 3–5 — Pink Martini Oregon tour (Jacksonville, Eugene, Astoria; confirm Astoria date at pinkmartini.com)
