Conversations With Friends & Strangers

Welcome to Conversations With Friends and Strangers! Join Maggie & Noam as they take a closer look at the complicated relationships in the Hulu series, Conversations With Friends. They'll meet some of the cast and crew, chat with experts, and share their own kind of sexy, kind of uncomfortable, but relatable stories about the messy relationships we find ourselves in.

Written and produced by Maggie Boles and Noam Gad Weiser.

From Straw Hut Media.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/conversations-with-friends-strangers--5711089/support.

Last refreshed: July 1st, 2025 at 3:52 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

12: That was a pretty solid email.

We can’t believe it’s over. We’re gonna miss our friends and our strangers. We talk with producer Jeanie Igoe about the differences between Melissa on the page and Melissa on the screen. We learn some conflict resolution techniques from certified nonviolent communication facilitator Ranjitha Jeurkar. Maggie tells us about a time she waited 7 years to apologize. We talk about our feelings about the series overall (obviously). And we ask producer Jeanie Igoe if there could ever be a season two of ...

May 16, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 12

11: Your self obsession is exhausting.

Why are we so self destructive and how do we grow past it? Dr. C. Sue Carter gives us a scientific explanation for our urge to fail at natural selection. Writer Christine Wiedenbach somehow makes the image of a burning bridge inspirational. OBGYN Peter Weiss dispels some myths about endometriosis. And Rachel Bell teaches us that Twitter is a pretty handy tool for getting over a breakup. Dr. C. Sue Carter https://kinseyinstitute.org/about/profiles/cscarter.php Dr. Peter Weiss https://www.rdwhc.co...

May 16, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 11

10: Is it difficult for you that I know?

What does consensual non-monogamy look like in the real world? We’ll hear about how a young marriage left behind a big what if. Plus an inside look at an open marriage with pro-skateboarder and podcast host Jason Ellis. And of course, we’re all hands on deck with our experts Dr. Justin Lehmiller, Dr. Ian Kerner, and Dr. Martha Kauppi to talk about what a relationship needs in order for non-monogamy to work. Sarah Elise Abramson https://www.instagram.com/slow_toast2 Jason Ellis https://open.spoti...

May 16, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 10

9: You’re more challenging than that.

How much can we trust our memory? Sex therapist Dr. Martha Kauppi tells us to stop wasting time on the evidence. Writer Mark O’Halloran talks about the experience ghost writing for Frances and actor Emmanuel Okoye helps us think about who our characters are when they’re not seen through Frances’s eyes. Martha Kauppi https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/conversations-with-friends-strangers--5711089/support ....

May 16, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 9

8: If there’s one thing you can say about facism, it’s that it had some good poets.

What role does it play in our relationships? Can it be a form of courtship? Music Supervisor Juliet Martin and director Leann Welham take us through the process of marrying music to the show. Noam tells us about the time she texted a link to Total Eclipse of the Heart over and over again and it worked. And a story about the sweetest mixtape that you’d probably never want to hear. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/conversations-with-friends-strangers--5711089/su...

May 16, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 8

7: Is a penis just not absurd?

We’re still hung up on sex and love. Is there a biochemistry of love? And how do we talk about sex if it’s making us crazy with all these hormones? Dr. Justin Lehmiller helps us answer that question and shines a light on the role of sex education in learning to talk about sex. Noam tells the story we lovingly call ‘the art of the blowjob.’ Writer Lux Alptraum helps us feel better about our kinks. And then we look at the biological and cultural factors that color our views of sex and love with ac...

May 16, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 7

6: I’m just not very emotional.

Director Leann Welham talks us through the episode. Sex therapist Dr. Martha Kauppi tells us about the different ways we process and protect ourselves from difficult feelings. Maggie and Noam make the mistake of searching through our personal emails for the word ‘feelings.’ And stories about the minefields in dating when your ability to feel sexual attraction is dependent on a strong foundation of intimacy, moving across country for love, and realizing you’re much more emotional than you thought...

May 16, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5: Not if they loved me too.

The question on everyone’s mind: Is it possible to be in love with more than one person at the same time? Sex therapist and best-selling author Dr. Ian Kerner and Kinsey Institute research fellow and podcast host Dr. Justin Lehmiller share their expertise when it comes to the complications of loving more than one person at a time. Dr. C. Sue Carter teaches us what we have in common with prairie voles. And Maggie shares a story about the time she was in love with two people and still wound up bei...

May 16, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4: Frances, I want you so much.

What happens when a crush becomes more than just a crush? Producer Jeanie Igoe tells us all about filming in Croatia and the sublime experience that is Sallay Garnett’s voice. Actor Tadgh Murphy describes the wisdom that comes with age and encourages everyone to have an affair. And science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum comes back to teach us about nature’s ultimate litmus test, the kiss, and helps us figure out what happens to our bodies when we kiss someone we like. Sheril Kirshenbaum’s book, The S...

May 16, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3: It’s just a physical thing. I feel great. Thank you.

This episode is all about sex: sex as a learning experience, sex as communication, sex as art. Noam shares the story of a relationship that first communicated primarily through sex. Writer Mark O’Halloran and Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien talk about creating and choreographing the sexiest scenes in Conversations With Friends. And we hear stories about a slumber party surprise, not hot public sex at Burning Man, and the fear of god after losing your virginity. Rachel Bell http://rachelbell.inf...

May 16, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2: Do you often kiss girls at parties?

Stories about secret romances are first kisses. Science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum gives us some insight into what makes a first kiss good. Then, a tragic Parisian love story lives mostly in the porte cochere, and secret three way makeout sessions create drama at boarding school. Last, we talk Sally Rooney with Mark O’Halloran, the writer of episodes 2, 3, and 9. Sheril Kirshenbaum’s book, The Science of Kissing https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/sheril-kirshenbaum/the-science-of-kissi...

May 16, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2

1. We dropped the ****ing but kept the poetry.

Producer Jeanie Igoe tells us about casting the four main roles. Then we try to answer the age-old question: can you stay friends with your ex? Maggie shares the story of her attempt with help from friend and collaborator Michael Amico. Comedian and actor Laci Mosley talks about staying friends before and after sex. And we learn about girl love and poetry with Sappho scholar Marguerite Johnson. Michael Amico's The Evening Nudes https://www.instagram.com/the_evening_nudes Michael Amico Photograph...

May 16, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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