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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus · January 7, 2026 · 1h 0m

Julia Gets Wise with Sister Helen Prejean

Judy Bowles, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sister Helen Prejean
Show Notes

Julia speaks with 86-year-old death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean about her Southern childhood, the path that led her to decades of death row ministry, and what she has learned about people and power. The conversation also touches on lighter ground, including Sister Helen’s charming refusal to bet money on card games. Julia’s 91-year-old mother, Judy, joins to reminisce about Catholic grade school, and Julia recalls her own childhood “Catholic makeover.”

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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The Roots of an Activist
Sister Helen explained how her early life and experiences led her to dedicate decades to death penalty abolition.
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Decades on Death Row
Sister Helen shared insights from her long-term work accompanying prisoners on death row and advocating for abolition.
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Lessons on Power and People
Sister Helen offered hard-won lessons about power dynamics and effective advocacy from her decades of activism.
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Editorial

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The Card Game Principle
Sister Helen admitted she cannot bring herself to bet even small amounts of money on her favorite card games despite really wanting to.
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Catholic School, Three Generations
Julia and her mother Judy shared their personal experiences with Catholic grade school and the lasting impressions it left.
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Misc

✧Sister Helen can’t bring herself to put even a little money down on her favorite card games, despite really wanting to.
✧Julia remembers her childhood Catholic makeover, a comedic nod to her youthful attempt at piety.
✧Judy shares a memory from her own Catholic grade school days, bridging three generations of women’s experience.
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