Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

My friend Kristen is a woman in her fifties who has never lost anyone close to her. So her decision to embark on the journey of becoming a death doula could at first seem like a strange one, but when you get to know her it makes perfect sense. Join Kristen as she tackles the universal experience of death with humor, honesty, and sincere introspection. Through personal stories, interviews, and her journey to becoming a death doula she explores how we mourn and how to prepare for life's final chapter. This podcast is for anyone curious about life, loss, and finding laughter along the way. Binge all the episodes of Death Virgin here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 August 2025

We live in a culture of more. More toys. More shoes. More jumpsuits buried in the back of the closet. But what happens when you try to break free from the endless cycle of buying, decluttering, and buying again? This week’s episode takes you inside a self-proclaimed “low-buy summer,” a real-world experiment in owning less and living with more intention. The first half features Diane Boden of Minimalist Moms on how to reset your relationship with stuff—practical hacks like closet tricks, tiny habits, and the emotional archaeology of letting go. In the second half, we tackle the chaos of kids’ closets with Jackalo founder Marianna Sacks, exploring how fast fashion took over children’s clothing and how parents can push back with sustainability, hand-me-downs, and circular fashion that actually works. Listen to the Minimalist Moms podcast here. Learn more about Jackalo here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 August 2025

The patriarchy is getting a rebrand. From tradwives to “soft girl” culture, conservative influencers are using the language of feminism to sell women a polished version of submission. In this episode, Dr. Nicole Mason, the policy expert who coined the term “she-cession,” explains how this messaging is pulling women out of power and why the left still doesn’t have a strong counter-narrative. The conversation digs into the unfinished business of feminism, why equality feels so hard to sustain, and how younger women are being seduced by curated fantasies of homemaking and “letting men lead.” Nicole also shares insights from her groundbreaking U.S. Women’s Power and Influence Index and breaks down what is really behind the stubborn wage gap. This is a conversation about power, work, motherhood, and the cultural battle over women’s choices and how we can finally stop carrying it all alone. Subscribe to Dr. Mason's newsletter here. Learn more about Future Forward Women here. Follow Dr. Mason on Instagram here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2025

This week I am bringing back one of my favorite episodes of Too Much Money, the show I created with Doree Shafrir of Forever 35 about the ridiculous sh*t that billionaire do with their billions. This one is a delight. What’s the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving? Immortality of course, and it is the eternal brass ring that so many billionaires are trying to get their grubby hands on. Join us as we tell the tale of centi-millionaire Bryan Johnson’s efforts to reverse his biological age. This real life Benjamin Button takes more than a hundred supplements a day, only eats in the morning and gets injections of his teenage son’s blood. But at what cost? Is living forever worth it when you strip life of all its joys? Binge all the episodes of Too Much Money here. Find Forever 35 here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 August 2025

Sleep is not a luxury, a reward, or a wellness trend. It's a biological necessity. In this episode, writer and sleep coach Lindsay Scola shares her journey from high-functioning burnout to a late-in-life narcolepsy diagnosis, and why she's helping others rethink their relationship with rest. The conversation explores why traditional sleep advice often fails, how the sleep industry profits from our exhaustion, and what actually helps—from sound sleep masks to mocktails to restoring cast iron skillets on YouTube. This is a no-shame, no-snake-oil guide to making sleep work for your real life. Learn more about Rest Assured and all of Lindsay's sleep work here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 August 2025

Sometimes the only thing that gets you through real life is diving headfirst into someone else’s dumpster fire. This week we’re talking about the celebrity memoirs that make you so happy you're not famous! From Ione Skye’s steamy Gen X nostalgia to Mariah Carey’s perfectly chaotic brilliance, we unpack the stories that stick with us, the confessions we wish more people would make, and why every woman needs at least one ride-or-die friend to stop her from marrying a man named Sticky Ricky. Joining us is celeb memoir guru Chelsea Devantez, author of her own memoir, I Shouldn't be Telling You This, and the creator of the wonderful podcast Glamorous Trash. Buy Chelsea's book I Shouldn't Be Telling You This here. Binge Glamorous Trash here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2025

Rain on your wedding day is supposed to mean good luck, but for Allison and John, it meant they were about to have the worst year of their lives. From John experiencing a life-changing set-back in his career, to Allison losing her beloved mother to a rare neurological disease, their time as newlyweds was anything but peaceful. But in the inaugural episode of the podcast, John and Allison dissect how this rough patch ultimately strengthened their commitment to an institution that many feel is no longer necessary. If you would like to submit a “Marriage Moment’ or suggest a future episode topic, email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠. Learn more about the possibilities of modern marriage with a copy of ⁠I DO (I THINK): Conversations About Modern Marriage⁠. Purchase Allison’s new romcom novel ⁠Save The Date.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 August 2025

What happens when filtered faces look more real than real ones? This episode dives into the strange collision of plastic surgery, social media, and AI. Why are celebrities suddenly confessing to nose jobs and boob lifts? And how is the algorithm shaping what we think we’re supposed to look like? We talk to top plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Zelken about what’s actually possible—and what’s pure fantasy. When perfection is everywhere, it’s hard not to feel like your perfectly good, perfectly human self somehow isn’t enough. Learn more about Dr. Zelken here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2025

What if the entire wellness internet—bee venom facials, jade eggs, raw dairy—could be traced back to one woman? Gwyneth Paltrow didn’t just win an Oscar and marry a rock star. She built Goop, turned luxury wellness into a global machine, and maybe even helped create the Maha influencer pipeline. Journalist Amy Odell, author of the brand-new biography Gwyneth, spent three years and 200 interviews uncovering Gwyneth’s meteoric rise, the media’s obsession with tearing her down, and how she rewrote the rules of modern fame. Order GWYNETH here. Follow Amy on Substack here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 July 2025

So many of us are wondering why our government is not working for us today. Why our representatives are so ineffectual - simple bills that would protect so many vulnerable children from lead exposure like The Lead Paint Right to Know Act get stuck in committee and never brought to the floor for a vote regardless of the fact that it passed the assembly with the largest margin yet: 106 to 40. You're about to listen to LEAD, an audio drama made by a mom who's son suffered from extensive lead poisoning and what's she doing to make sure it doesn't happen to more children. Listen to more episodes of LEAD here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2025

If you’ve said the word perimenopause anywhere near your phone lately, you’re probably being served a firehose of hormone hackers, estrogen patch evangelists, and protein-powder miracle cures. I hate most of these influencers and their content. But I also love that we’re finally talking about what’s happening to our bodies. In this episode, I talk to OB-GYN Dr. Kim Einhorn founder of The Menopause Collective about all the stuff we were never taught in health class: murder-scene periods, 3 a.m. night sweats, hormone therapy, and how to actually prepare for this next stage of life. We get into why the healthcare system is failing us, what questions to ask your doctor, and how to tell if you’re getting the runaround. It’s smart, messy, deeply personal and the first in a series of honest conversations about perimenopause. Follow Dr. Kim Einhorn on Instagram here. Learn more about the Menopause Collective here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2025

Today, we're diving into the untold history of four women who risked everything to fight fascism in WWII Italy. Author Suzanne Cope joins Jo to talk about her new book Women of War, which profiles badass resistance fighters who smuggled weapons, organized underground strikes, and wrote radical newspapers while the men were often hiding in the hills. These women didn't wait for permission to lead—they just did it. Jo and Suzanne explore what made them so effective, why history has buried their stories, and how their legacy might just be the blueprint we need right now. Order Women of War here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

Unladylike is an absolute delight. Host Cristen Conger dissects the myths, messes, and media shaping modern womanhood—and un-womanhood. From bisexual imposter syndrome to tall girl therapy, gun culture to birth control backlash, she gets into it all—backed by deep research, sharp interviews, and just enough unseriousness to demystify the uncanny valley of 21st-century patriarchy without doomspiraling. I'm actually on this episode talking tradwives, but if you want to binge something else check out their whole feed here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 July 2025

There are very few influencers who can actually influence me these days, but Grace Atwood is one of them. And that's because I trust her. The business of influencing has changed a lot and Grace has been navigating those changes for 15 years. From Blogspot to Substack, affiliate links to brand deals, she’s built a full-fledged media brand by being transparent, trustworthy and having impeccable taste. In this episode, we talk about the evolution of content creation, the emotional labor of staying “authentic,” and why influencers are still underestimated, even as they’re driving millions in revenue. If you’ve ever wondered how the business really works, Grace is here to break it all down with a whole lot of candor. Read Grace's blog The Stripe here. Follow her on Substack here. Find her on Instagram here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

While social media feeds overflow with‬‭ polished success stories, a new‬ ‭ podcast is asking: what if the biggest career breakthroughs come from the moments we’re least‬‭ likely to share? The Messy Parts cuts through the highlight reel to explore‬‭ the raw, unfiltered reality behind achievement.‬ Host Maryam Banikarim, a powerhouse executive with 20+ years in the C-Suite at Nextdoor,‬‭ Hyatt, NBC Universal, and Univision, created the show after growing tired of the facade. “I’ve‬ ‭been 'successful’ by most measures, and it’s messy as hell,” says Banikarim. “There are days‬ ‭even the people who 'have it all’ can barely get out of bed. We want listeners to know they’re not‬‭ losing their minds alone.” ‭The premiere episode features Katie Sturino, founder of Megababe, discussing building a‬ ‭self-funded brand, the real struggles behind Instagram gloss, and how “letting the messy parts‬ ‭hang out” became her superpower.‬ ‭  Listen to more episodes of The Messy Parts here. Buy Katie's book Sunny Side Up here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 July 2025

Reality television isn’t just escapism—it’s a sociological goldmine. In this episode, Reality Life host Kate Casey breaks down why the smartest people she knows are watching Love Undercover, Jury Duty, and The Keepers. Plus: the archetype of the aspiring influencer, what Mariska Hargitay’s new doc reveals about legacy and loss, and how Jeff Bezos turned his wedding into an extravagant PR stunt. This is your sharp, funny, wildly satisfying guide to what to watch when the world feels like a dumpster fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2025

We don’t have rituals for breaking up with friends.  Romantic breakups come with scripts—we know how to mourn them, process them, even joke about them. But when a friendship falls apart, we’re left in a strange cultural vacuum. I still think about the women I’ve lost as friends more than the men I’ve dated. I still stop myself from texting them, still wonder if they think about me, still carry the unresolved ache of the loss. Their absence haunts me in a way that lovers never have. Why is this? Why don’t we talk about the grief of losing a close friend—especially another woman? Is it because we still undervalue platonic love, or because the intimacy of female friendship is too complicated and layered to fit into a clean narrative? And why do so many of us carry this particular heartbreak quietly, without naming it? Our guest today is Susan Shapiro Barash, author of Estranged. Inspired by the emotional undercurrent of my new novel Everyone Is Lying To You, this conversation dives deep into why friendship breakups hit harder than romantic ones, the red-flag friendships to look out for, and why it's time to admit that not all friendships are meant to last forever.  Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

Mental Health Rewritten, is a recently released nonfiction narrative podcast tackling stigma in mental health head on. Host Dominic Lawson and his guests are challenging narratives around sex, suicide, and cultural identity. Here's the first episode, which covers sex addiction and porn.  Listen to Mental Health Rewritten here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 July 2025

Carla Sosenko grew up with a rare vascular disorder, a body that didn’t conform and a deep love of fashion that helped her feel seen. In this intimate conversation, the author of the new memoir I'll Look So Good in a Coffin opens up about navigating shame, self-worth, and beauty standards in a culture obsessed with thinness. We talk about what it means to dress a body that defies expectations, how weight-loss drugs like semaglutide shift our internal narratives, and why turning forty might just be the best thing that ever happens to your self-esteem. Order I'll Look So Good in a Coffin here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

There’s an influencer for everything—including the intersection of geology, volcanology, academia, and queer joy. This week, we are chatting with Denali (@dykanite), a PhD student and science communicator with nearly 300k Instagram followers whose viral posts make earth science funny, fierce, and deeply human. They dig into how a geology joke launched an entire platform, why science isn’t neutral, and what it means to be an openly queer researcher in a field still catching up to the moment. It’s smart, hilarious, and will totally change the way you look at rocks. You can follow Denali on Instagram here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

Many years ago I made a podcast about the bad ass women left out of too many history books. Today I am dropping Fierce in your feed. This episode is about Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress. Years before the United States ratified the 19th amendment, a woman from Montana had already infiltrated Capitol Hill. Jeannette Rankin rose through the ranks of the women’s suffrage movement, bringing an electric energy to every town she visited. Her activism earned her a place on the ballot in 1916, and she landed a seat as a congressional representative for Montana - the first woman to ever achieve this distinction in the United States. As a congressperson, Jeannette became an integral part of 20th century US history from voting against entering World War I, to battling for women’s suffrage on the floor of congress, to making herself known as a pacifist again during World War II and later, the Vietnam War.  You can binge all the episodes of Fierce here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2025

The number one show on Netflix right now is Poop Cruise. What happens when a Carnival cruise ship loses power in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and thousands of passengers are left with no food, no working toilets, and no way out? You get a poop cruise. In this special episode we break down the gloriously grotesque Netflix documentary Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, a surprisingly funny, bizarrely moving, and fully revolting story of what happens when modern luxury hits the fan. We talk poop bags, cruise ship class dynamics, soft American resilience, and why we’ll never look at a lasagna the same way again. Come for the sewage, stay for the Soviet bartender, and leave with a renewed appreciation for land. And also, buy Jo’s new book Everyone Is Lying to You, which, unlike a Carnival cruise, will not make you pee in a shower. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2025

We get real about weight loss drugs in this episode—no shame, no BS. Journalist Kara Baskin joins me to talk side effects, societal judgment, and the weird, wonderful, often infuriating experience of being a woman in a changing body. This isn’t about chasing skinny. It’s about reclaiming comfort, confidence, and control in a culture that tells us we can’t win either way. Read Kara's work here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

This week, we're talking to journalist EJ Dickson of The Cut about what really happens at Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit, where thousands of Gen Z girls gather to hear influencers tell them the future is feminine, submissive, and off the grid. But here’s the twist: it doesn’t look extreme. It looks aspirational. It looks like a lifestyle brand. We break down how the conservative movement is packaging traditional gender roles as empowerment, why this message is resonating with teenage girls, and how the left still hasn’t figured out how to compete with the fantasy. This is what the influencer pipeline looks like when it’s wearing a sundress. Read E.J.'s piece on The Cut here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

Today I am dropping an episode of my new mini-series (Re) Committed here. (Re) Committed dives into stories of love lost and found again when people least expect it. This series was inspired by Christine Pride's new novel, All the Men I've Loved Again, which is based on her own second chance romance when she fell in love with the same two men in her twenties and again in her forties. Today we hear Christine's story of how she fell for her college boyfriend and then a handsome young TV producer when she moved to New York City. How she lost touch with both as she built her own career and how she reconnected with the same men twenty years later during the pandemic and found true love with one of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 June 2025

What happens when the U.S. government slashes one-third of PBS Kids' funding? Shows get canceled. Summer camps disappear. The most vulnerable kids lose access to free, educational media. Today we're talking with Sarah DeWitt of PBS Kids about what Trump's recent cut what that means for shows like Daniel Tiger and Molly of Denali, and why public media is still one of the most powerful tools we have to reach and teach all children—especially the ones algorithms forget. Visit Protect My Public Media to find out how you can help. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025

Dolly Parton might be the last thing Americans agree on. In this episode, we talk to ⁠Will Bonfiglio⁠, the WashU lecturer behind a wildly popular college course on Dolly, about how the country icon became a cultural unifier across politics, class, gender, and generations. From Dollywood to “9 to 5” to her million-dollar vaccine donation, this is a conversation about kindness, capitalism, and why Dolly Parton is an uber influencer in the best possible way. ⁠Join our newsletter community here⁠. ⁠Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here⁠. ⁠Visit our lovely sponsors here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

There are too many movie podcasts. That’s why I only bring you the ones that are actually worth your time. That Aged Well is one of them. Hosts Paul and Erika are pop culture savants who rewatch the movies we all thought were perfect and lovingly tear them apart. They ask the real questions, like: “How guilty should I feel for still loving this?” Start with their Father of the Bride episode because it’s perfect. Binge That Aged Well Here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2025

What if dads stopped “helping” and just…parented? Today I am talking about flipping the script of the patriarchy with @Tidy Dad (Tyler Moore). We talk paid leave, emotional vulnerability, and why men need to start showing up in the ways that matter most. Get Tyler's book Tidy Up Your Life here. Subscribe to Tyler's Substack here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2025

You’ve got a book idea—but how do you go from blank page to published author? Literary agent and author Kate McKean of the Agents & Books substack joins us to demystify the publishing process from query letters to advances, platforms, rejection, and all the weird feelings in between. This is the real talk every aspiring writer needs. What does a literary agent really do—and how do you find one? How do you write a query letter that actually gets noticed? Do you really need a social media platform to get a book deal? What happens after an agent agrees to represent your book—how does it actually get sold? How do you survive the emotional chaos of publishing, from rejection to imposter syndrome? Get Kate's book WRITE THROUGH IT here. Subscribe to Kate's newsletter Agents and Books here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 2 Analysis (with Jo Piazza) Chelsea is joined by author and podcaster Jo Piazza for a Season 2 analysis of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” They break down what made this season so hauntingly wonderful, from the plastic surgery Utah waves alchemy to Taylor's mom getting her 15 minutes of fame in her new AI bot form, to breaking down what each wife brought to season 2, to quote Demi, put your earbuds in and "LOOK ME IN THE EYES, YOU NARCISSIST"  Binge Glamorous Trash here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 June 2025

Influencers are selling women starvation and calling it empowerment. Today we talk to Cut reporter EJ Dickson about her viral investigation into SkinnyTok and the Skinni Société, a subscriber-only Instagram group where thousands of young women are encouraged to obsess over calories, steps, and how to be the “skinniest girl at graduation.” Together, we unpack how social media platforms allow this to flourish, why these communities feel like cults, and how the language of feminism is being co-opted to convince women that self-worth is measured in how many pounds they lose. Read EJ's excellent Cut piece here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

Close your eyes. Picture a woman with lashes so long they could reach across the aisle. Lips plump enough to bounce a quarter off. Matte foundation, pageant curls, a bold lip, and a jawline that could cut glass. Now ask yourself: Is she a Real Housewife or a member of the Trump administration? This week, we’re digging into MAGA Beauty—the algorithm-fueled, hyper-feminized aesthetic dominating the right-wing political sphere. From bulletproof vests and barrel curls to a full-face glam that's become the new uniform of power, this is strategic, not superficial. New York Times columnist Jessica Grose joins us to unpack her viral piece on the look that screams “conservative” before a word is spoken. Then, we talk to Mother Jones editor Inae Oh, whose searing essay In Your Face breaks down how this plasticized performance of womanhood fits into a larger project: rebranding femininity in Trump’s America. Spoiler: It's giving Real Housewives of CPAC. This is the face of a new political era. One where you can’t run for office unless you can run an eyeliner wing sharp enough to wound democracy itself. Read Inae Oh's Mother Jones piece here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

Today I’m dropping a brand new, really unique podcast into your feed and it's all about money.  “Debt Heads” is a very funny, surprisingly cathartic, extremely relatable investigation into the American economy from two people in debt. In the pilot episode we meet our two co-hosts, Jamie & Rachel, who dig into the reasons why so many people find money so hard to discuss, why we think we’re happier when we keep our secrets hidden, and how powerful it can be to come clean. After Jamie fesses up to Rachel about her years of hidden debt, we go on a journey to uncover why such a wide-spread problem is so often made to feel like a personal failing.  You can listen to more Debt Heads here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2025

What if the thing you bought to keep your baby safe was actually preparing them for a lifetime of being watched? This week we sit down with New York Times critic and author Amanda Hess to talk about the dark underbelly of parenting tech. From the SNOO to the Owlet sock to that creepy CGI fetus in your pregnancy app, we unpack how modern devices promise safety while quietly feeding our data, and our kids’ data, to the algorithm gods. Amanda’s new book Second Life traces how technology has crept into every corner of motherhood, from tracking ovulation to surveilling toddlers, and how it’s reshaping what we think of as “good” parenting. We talk about the eugenic roots of menstrual tracking, how pregnancy apps manipulate your emotions, and what it means to grow attached to a hologram of a baby who isn’t yours. This episode is for anyone who’s ever googled “is my baby breathing” at 3 a.m. Get Amanda's book Second Life here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

When a tragedy happens to a mother online, does it still belong to her—or does it belong to all of us? After beloved TikTok mom influencer Emily Kaiser’s 3-year-old son tragically drowned, the internet didn’t wait for confirmation. Strangers started playing detective, matching Zillow screenshots to TikToks, scouring Arizona death records, and demanding answers before her family had time to grieve. This week, journalist Fortesa Latifi—who’s been doing some of the sharpest reporting on influencer culture for Rolling Stone—joins me to talk about the parasocial fallout. We dig into what it means to build a brand around motherhood, the impossible expectations placed on grieving women, and why the internet’s obsession with owning someone else’s story is more dangerous than we want to admit. It’s emotional. It’s infuriating. And it’s a mirror we might not want to look into, but probably should. Read Fortesa's Rolling Stone piece here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

Sharing something special with you this week, it’s an episode of Other People’s Problems, from CBC. Normally, therapy sessions are totally confidential — but this podcast opens the doors. On this season, the host Dr. Hillary McBride explores the transformative power of psychedelics in a therapeutic setting. With her psychological expertise, Dr. Hillary leads clients through drug-assisted therapy, guiding them to new heights on their healing journeys. You’ll experience these real, unscripted sessions firsthand as they unfold, and get an unprecedented look at therapy using psychedelics and psychoactive drugs, demystifying this often misunderstood practice as a powerful tool in trauma recovery. In this episode, we hear from Brandi, who has social anxiety because she grew up in a cult where members gathered regularly around her family’s dinner table to talk about mortality and sin. To cope, Brandi hid at the top of the stairs in silence, afraid to even go get a snack. In this session using cannabis, she imagines herself and Hillary bulldozing into the room, taking a stand on the kitchen table together, and demanding freedom. You can listen to more Other People’s Problems here Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2025

Is it possible to raise a child without losing yourself—if you live in a country that actually supports parents? In this episode, we sit down with journalist and author Abigail Leonard to talk about her powerful new book Four Mothers, a narrative that follows four women across four countries through the highs and heartbreaks of their first year of motherhood. From Finland’s robust family leave to Japan’s intense cultural expectations, from a grieving new mom in Kenya to an American mother who steps away from the religious community that raised her, these stories reveal how deeply the system shapes our experience of becoming a parent. We dig into what Leonard learned by reporting across cultures, why so many mothers feel like they’re doing it alone, and what it might take to build a better way forward—wherever you are in the world. If you've ever wondered whether motherhood is universally hard or just made harder by policy, geography, and culture—this one’s for you. Get ⁠Four Mothers⁠ Here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

Ever feel like gentle parenting only works for gentle children—and yours were born throwing punches? Same. That’s why this week, I sat down with science journalist and parenting sanity-saver ⁠Melinda Wenner Moyer⁠, author of ⁠How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes⁠ and the new book ⁠Hello, Cruel World: How to Parent with Hope in an Era of Anxiety and Doom⁠. We’re diving deep into the hard stuff: screen time panic, why discipline doesn’t mean dictatorship, and how to build actual resilience (hint: let your kid be bored). Melinda brings research, realism, and a refreshing amount of empathy to the parenting chaos. We also unpack why most parenting influencers should probably be legally required to disclose their lack of qualifications—and why your 8-year-old flipping you off at school pickup doesn’t mean you’ve failed. ⁠Subscribe to Melinda's substack here⁠. ⁠Join our newsletter community here⁠. ⁠Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here⁠. ⁠Visit our lovely sponsors here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

What do writing a thriller, running a marathon, and raising small humans have in common? At some point, you’re convinced you’re doing it all wrong. This week on Sunday Nice Things I down with bestselling author Andrea Bartz (The Last Ferry Out) to talk about the messy middle of any creative process—when everything feels like garbage and your brain is screaming “just quit.” If you've ever felt stuck in the middle of something hard—writing a book, parenting, being a human in the world—this episode is for you. Check out Andi's newsletter here. GET IT WRITE Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2025

We were told there’d be a village. A built-in crew of support, solidarity, and sanity that would show up the minute the baby did. But what if the village never comes? In this episode, Jo talks to Melissa Wirt—mother of six, founder of Latched Mama, and author of I Was Told There’d Be a Village—about what it means to build connection in a culture that isolates mothers by design. They dive into the science of loneliness, the labor of making friends as a grown woman, and why an adult swim team might just save your sanity. It’s equal parts cultural commentary, raw confession, and parenting survival guide—complete with a backseat birth story, a breakdown of small business politics, and a plea for real community in and out of the workplace. If you’ve ever wondered where your people are—or how to find them—this episode is your blueprint. Follow Melissa on Instagram here. Order her book here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

What happens when you're not 100% sure you want to become a mother—but you go ahead and do it anyway? In this episode, we explore the space between certainty and regret, love and ambivalence, and what it means to mother without a clear road map. Host Jo Piazza sits down with journalist and author Ruthie Ackerman, whose new book The Mother Code unpacks her own winding path to motherhood—through egg freezing, fertility treatments, donor eggs, and a lot of self-doubt. They talk about why our culture demands total clarity from women about becoming mothers, how shame and silence shape that decision, and what it looks like to write your own "mother code" instead of following the one handed to you. Get Ruthie's book The Mother Code here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

If your kids are into listening to podcasts (mine are...we are massive Greeking Out stans) then you are going to want The Ten News in your rotation. The Ten News podcast explores topics that kids care about most including events, sports, science, gaming, pop culture, entertainment, and more! With new episodes bi-weekly on Wednesday, it’s a great way for you and your family to stay connected with what’s going on in the world. The Ten News also features some pretty awesome guests; LEGO Masters Judge Amy Corbett, America’s top doctor Dr. Anthony Fauci, Sarah Natochenny, the voice of Ash Ketchum for Pokemon fans, and many more. Today's episode is a deep dive into LEGO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2025

What do a novelist, an Olympic triathlete, and a healthcare entrepreneur have in common? In some families, they share a childhood. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Susan Dominus joins us to talk about The Family Dynamic, her riveting new book on how multiple high-achieving siblings emerge from the same home—and what that means for the rest of us. We talk about the science of sibling influence, the myth of perfect parenting, and why stepping back might be the best thing you can do for your kid’s future. Get Susan's book here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for videos of all episodes here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

What happens when your kids start asking the Big Questions—about death, morality, and the meaning of life—and your only answer is... "I don't know"? This week we sit down with the anonymous duo behind The Family Skeptical podcast—two parents raising their children without religion in a world where Christian values are increasingly entangled with politics, community, and parenting culture. They dive into what it means to teach critical thinking instead of catechism, how to build moral frameworks without ancient texts, and why parenting without a religious script often requires a lot more work—and a lot more imagination. From Star Trek to Christmas movies to Greek mythology, this conversation explores how secular families are inventing new traditions, new values, and new ways of saying “I don’t know” with confidence. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt envious of the ready-made community that comes with religion, but still wants to raise kind, curious kids—without the dogma. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

Dropping an episode of The Family Skeptical in your feed today. It's a show by a married atheist couple talking about raising kids in non-belief. They talk about navigating the challenges and joys of raising open-minded, compassionate kids in a world where religious beliefs often take center stage and dive into topics such as teaching critical thinking, fostering empathy, celebrating diversity, handling religious questions, and much more. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2025

What does it really take to ask for what you want—and actually get it? Jenny Wood, former Google executive and author of Wild Courage, breaks down why fear of judgment, failure, and uncertainty keep so many people stuck. This episode dives into the surprising science of ambition, why women are still penalized for being "bossy," how guilt and comparison steal more from us than failure ever could, and why being a little shameless might be the smartest move you make. Plus: what chasing a stranger off a subway platform can teach you about betting on yourself. Buy Wild Courage here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

What do Britney Spears, American Pie, Girls Gone Wild, and the rise of trad wives on TikTok all have in common? More than you think. In this episode, we dive into the cultural stew of the late ’90s and early 2000s with Atlantic critic Sophie Gilbert, author of Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves. From foam fingers to foam parties, we unpack how the sparkly, bedazzled, and disturbingly sexist pop culture of that era shaped millennial womanhood—and how it's all come back in a new package labeled "soft girl aesthetic." We talk Britney, the Spice Girls as proto-influencers, and what it means that the same culture that objectified Monica Lewinsky now celebrates trad wives on TikTok. This is a conversation about memory, marketing, media—and what happens when we mistake sexualization for empowerment. Read Sophie's great piece in The Atlantic here. You can grab her book Girl on Girl here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

Dropping a great new podcast in your feed today. Normal Curves is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Ever try to make sense of a scientific study and the numbers behind it? Listen in to a lively conversation between two stats-savvy friends who break it all down with humor and clarity. Professors Regina Nuzzo of Gallaudet University and Kristin Sainani of Stanford University discuss academic papers journal club-style — except with more fun, less jargon, and some irreverent, PG-13 content sprinkled in. Join Kristin and Regina as they dissect the data, challenge the claims, and arm you with tools to assess scientific studies on your own. Join Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani as they dissect the infamous Sweaty T-Shirt Study and the stats behind sex, smell, and mate choice. Find all the episodes of Normal Curves here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2025

What do you want to be when you grow up? For Gen Alpha, the answer might just be: a brand. This week, we enter the world of the Sweet Sisterhood—a so-called “content house” made up of girls aged 8 to 12 with a combined following in the tens of millions. Think ring lights, sassy videos, and moms-turned-managers. But behind the sequins and smiles is a bigger, messier question: Is this the future of childhood? Will every kid need a personal brand just to survive the job market of tomorrow? We're talking to Teen Vogue reporter Fortesa Latifi about the rise of child influencers, the growing legislation trying to protect them, and the very real existential dread of parenting in a world where social media clout might just be more valuable than a college degree. From influencer economics to the changing definition of a “job,” we ask: what are we preparing our kids for—and would it be bad for them to unplug? Read Fortesa's article in Teen Vogue here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025