Hank Azaria’s Advice for Overcoming Codependency

Modern Love

The New York Times

Nytimes, Redemption, Society & Culture, New York Times, Love, Essay, Storytelling, Loss, Nyt

4.4 • 8.7K Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hank Azaria is used to putting on other personalities. You probably know him best from his work as a voice actor on “The Simpsons,” where he plays Moe the bartender, Professor Frink, Chief Wiggum and Snake Jailbird, among many others. His list of credits in stage plays, movies and TV shows is prolific, including roles like his Tony-nominated performance in “Spamalot,” Phoebe’s boyfriend on “Friends” and the dog walker on “Mad About You.” But at a certain point in his life, Azaria realized that he was using humor and acting to be anyone but himself, and that it was affecting his real-life relationships. After five devastating heartbreaks, he resolved to look inward, address his codependency issues and become his most authentic self. In this episode, Azaria tells us how he found authenticity and reads the Modern Love essay “In Defense of My Emu Tattoo,” about an author who masks his true self by using humor but eventually finds love by learning to be himself. How to submit a Modern Love Essay to The New York Times How to submit a Tiny Love Story

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everyone, it's Anna. Before we get started today, I just want to ask a quick favor. We're working on our Valentine's Day episode, and we want you to be a part of it. Can you tell us about the moment you knew you were falling in love? Where were you? What was happening? What did it feel like? It can be about a relationship you're currently in or a relationship
0:21.8	from the past. We just want to know about the moment you could tell, hey, I'm falling in love with
0:26.9	this person. Record your answer as a voice memo and email it to Modern Love Podcast at nytimes.com,
0:34.2	and we may end up featuring it on the show. One more time, tell us about the moment you knew you were falling in love
0:41.0	and send it as a voice memo to Modern Love Podcast at nytimes.com.
0:46.8	We are so excited to hear from you.
0:48.9	If you want to be included in the episode, your deadline is February 5th.
0:53.8	Okay, let's start the show. Love now and
0:58.8	love. Love was stronger than anything. And I love you more than anything. And I love you more than
1:05.3	anything. You're still love. From the New York Times, I'm Anna Martin.
1:12.6	This is Modern Love.
1:13.6	Every week, we bring you a story inspired by the Modern Love column.
1:17.6	We talk about love, lust, and all the messiness of human relationships.
1:21.6	I'm going to put you on the spot and ask you something.
1:25.6	I wonder if you could do, what kind of voice would you use for, let's say, a podcast host of the New York Times about love and relationships?
1:33.4	What voice would you put on?
1:35.3	It feels mellow.
1:36.8	It feels calming.
1:38.5	Should be connected and soothing.
1:41.8	This is Hank Azaria.
1:43.6	He's, of course, a beloved Hollywood and stage actor.
1:46.6	He has hundreds of credits on different TV shows and movies,
	...

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