This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) is joined by Lori Gottlieb (@lorigottlieb1), author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. They talk about the route Lori took to become a therapist, how it's informed her practice and the common misconceptions of mental health. They'll also unpack why many are surprised that therapists have their own therapists! Join us for a mindful discussion on the mind, and don’t forget to call your therapist. (Turns out, like the rest of us, they don’t love being ghoste...
Jan 31, 2020•46 min
This week Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about impeachment and our favorite Cover(up) girl Mitch McConnell. They begin by contrasting their political differences, and eventually get to where they agree, all through the lens of abortion. Afterwards, they cover our current political moment, despair, and panic regarding the impeachment process. Put in your earbuds, get under a blanket, and make a cup of tea: trust us, you’re gonna need it for this one. Thank...
Jan 24, 2020•43 min
CW: Sexual Assault If you or a loved one is experiencing sexual violence, please reach out to the national sexual assault hotline. You are not alone. Please call 1-800-656-4673. This week With Friends Like These goes live and catches some feelings about Peggy Orenstein’s (@peggyorenstein) new book Boys and Sex . Host Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) and Peggy cover why we need to understand boys to try and help them, hookups/hookup culture, and what we can do to make our reality a little less terrif...
Jan 17, 2020•48 min
Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelen) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) this week to talk about exactly what you fear when you return to work or school after the holidays: burnout. They discuss what burnout is doing to Millenials (and younger generations) and why the root of the problem is, you guessed it, capitalism. Finally, they examine what one church has done to combat burnout at its economic root, and how their own relationship to religion has healed their burnout. Thanks to our sponsors! Grov...
Jan 10, 2020•1 hr 9 min
We’re doing a re-run this week, from one of our favorite WFLT episodes of 2019. Back in April, journalist Eli Saslow ( @elisaslow ) joined Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss to radicalization of older people, and how to deal with that one uncle at family gatherings who constantly brings up birtherism of whatever. One of our listeners is a NASA rocket scientist who reached out because she lost a parent to Russian troll-farm memes. There are plenty of success stories for those willing to fi...
Dec 27, 2019•57 min
This week Chrissy Stroop (@C_Stroop) and Lauren O’Neal (@laureneoneal) join Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about their childhood fears of hellfire and their new book, Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church. They discuss how they left their churches, why they did it, and the need for ex-believers to have a seat at the table. Afterwards, they talk about the implications of evangelical Christianity in the public sphere (and how our policies have terrifyingly reflected that). Join us th...
Dec 20, 2019•1 hr 2 min
This week Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about how we’ve got political nuclear winter, just in time for Christmas. The Impeachment process has not gone… the best. That we can all agree on. Rick and Ana dive into why, and why you should perhaps not cut deals with a racist crook. Mr. Wilson delivers a heartfelt appeal for voter outreach. It’s not as bleak as it could have been. Thanks to our sponsor: Ritual’s Essentials have the nutrients most of us don’t g...
Dec 13, 2019•25 min
This week Esme Wang (@esmewang) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about living with a brain you don’t always feel like you can trust. Esme Wang is the author of the New York Times-bestselling essay collection, The Collected Schizophrenias . She writes frequently about her experiences with both mental and physical chronic illnesses and advocates for eliminating stigmas surrounding them. They talk about the difficulty of “the diagnosis,” why high-functioning is a loaded term, and what it ...
Dec 06, 2019•53 min
This week, host of the You’re Wrong About podcast, Sarah Marshall (@Remember_Sarah) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about the only American holiday spookier than Halloween, Black Friday. Ana and Sarah discuss misconceptions about the history of the holiday, and how it turned into the capitalist dystopian hell we all know and love. Afterwards, they talked about the intersection of class and the division that the holiday creates. Finally, they talked about the science of crowd control, ...
Nov 29, 2019•57 min
This week Ed Schupman (manager of the Native Knowledge 360° Initiative and a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to discuss Thanksgiving and the surrounding myths. Reflecting on the tragedy that underlies Thanksgiving isn’t easy or fun but Ed has made a career of using Thanksgiving as a way into a broader discussion of Native American History. To truly process the gritty, uncomfortable story of Thanksgiving will require reinventing the American ed...
Nov 22, 2019•52 min
What do Goop and Capitalism have in common? Both refuse to go away despite how much suffering they’ve caused! This week Amanda Mull (@amandamull) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to discuss these topics and more. They begin by talking about fashion, ad-based media, and the ways that we exist within these constructs. Afterwards, they talk about identity and size, fat-phobia, and what we can do to make sure all bodies feel beautiful. CW: Self-harm and intense discussion of body image. Interested...
Nov 15, 2019•50 min
This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) sits down with Robert J. Lifton to remind you how bad things have gotten politically— but that remaining optimistic is not totally insane. They begin by drawing the parallels between Trump and other cult leaders/demagogues. Afterwards, they discuss the followers of Trump, why they remain followers, and how to get them to (hopefully) leave. Tune in for an unexpectedly hopeful episode about deathly cults! Thanks to our sponsors! Candid’s aligners can help str...
Nov 08, 2019•48 min
Fan favorite Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) returns to give Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) the Never Trumper view on culture wars, judicial festishization, and the all-important business of impeachment. Plus: a wacky game about pathological lying! Please consider checking out Rick’s new book Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump--and Democrats from Themselves ; a title that we will almost certainly be fighting him about next time he joins the show. Thanks to our sponsors! Skil...
Nov 01, 2019•43 min
Are you looking for a book on the Midwest and Christianity that doesn’t excuse racism? Good news! This week Lyz Lenz (@lyzl) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about her book God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America. They start by diving into the parallels between Lyz’s divorce and the 2016 election; America is a lot like your crappy college boyfriend whose red flags you ignored. Afterwards, they discuss what our silence means, especially as white liberals. Finally...
Oct 25, 2019•1 hr 20 min
This week Jason Kander ( @JasonKander ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to talk about his most recent work with veterans and what brought him there. They cover Jason’s political history, how he got help, and why no one should use running for president to avoid their problems. Afterwards, they discuss ways of finding hope and making change outside of the political sphere. Later, n ( @sheilaforva ) joins the show to talk about her campaign for delegate in Virginia. They talk about Sheila’s mo...
Oct 18, 2019•1 hr 22 min
Andrew Gillum ( @AndrewGillum ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) live at the Texas Tribune Fest in Austin. The two non-millionaires discuss race, the gubernatorial race for Florida, HBCUs, the dream of living regular conflicts, and reserving curse words in Texas for use by Beto. Then, AMC chats with Shani Curry Mitchell ( @Shanic4da ) who is running for District Attorney in New York’s Monroe County. Mitchell spent thirteen years as a prosecutor and during that time lost her sister to a tragi...
Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 28 min
Stephanie Wittels Wachs ( @wittelstephanie ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss her new podcast Last Day on Lemonada Media . Stephanie’s brother, comedian Harris Wittels, died in an overdose, and now she’s exploring the opiate epidemic person by person. It’s a way of both normalizing and investigating what’s happening across America with our secret pandemic. Stephanie and Ana pick apart the systems that rewire the human brain via addiction, and the new-wiring it takes to correct for...
Oct 04, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Bassey Ikpi ( @Basseyworld ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) at Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Minneapolis for a live interview regarding her new book I’m Telling The Truth, But I’m Lying . This overwhelmingly open discussion dives into issues around mental health, the truth about Bold Introverts, the racial disparities in emotional healthcare, ranking the cultural sexiness of various bipolar disorders, and how there’s rarely a storybook happy ending for people with Different Brains. TW:...
Sep 27, 2019•1 hr 12 min
Blair Braverman ( @BlairBraverman ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) at Cap Times Idea Fest in Wisconsin in front of a live studio audience. In this wide-ranging interview, they cover Blair’s memoir ( Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube ), all things mushing, how to dress for cold weather, climate change, and the surprising similarities between raising dogs and cultivating a compassionate online community. They also discuss some of the more sensitive topics in her memoir, including Blair’s inter...
Sep 20, 2019•1 hr 7 min
This week Avery Trufelman ( @trufelman ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss the possibility of a better tomorrow. Avery’s new show Nice Try! Is a podcast about various failed attempts at utopias across the ages, and what our (maybe) crumbling civilization can learn from those who came before us. Good intentions aren’t enough of a foundation for our future without, you know, literal foundations. Article referenced by Avery: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation Thanks to our ...
Sep 13, 2019•55 min
Rick Wilson ( @TheRickWilson ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss current events and politics at large. After a game to test Ricks’s knowledge of the Trump administrations many, many attempts at spin, the two dive into a discussion regarding the future of the Republican Party. With an insider’s unique perspective, Rick shares his fears for the future of the party (spoiler alert - it’s not looking too good), and sheds some light on the prevailing feelings of Republican politicians. A...
Sep 06, 2019•31 min
This week, Rachel Monroe ( @rachmonroe ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to break down the lack of truth in true crime. Using Rachel’s book, Savage Appetites , Rachel and Ana explore stories of women totally consumed by true crime to draw larger conclusions about the cultural phenomenon. They also delve into the genre’s rise in times of uncertainty, and what its popularity reflects about the current political and social climate. Then, they touch on the dicey racial dynamics within true crim...
Aug 30, 2019•1 hr 1 min
This week, Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) sits down with human rights lawyer, activist, and author Arjun Sethi ( @arjunsethi81 ) to discuss the one year anniversary of his book, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out —as relevant as ever after the massacres in El Paso… and, in the short time since, the arrests of six white men on charges related to mass violence . Arjun and Ana also discuss their frustration with how hate crimes are typically depicted in the media, and how the average American can g...
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr 33 min
CW: Complex discussions of Christianity, Faith, and Catholicism’s scandals. Washington Post writer Elizabeth Bruenig ( @ebruenig ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to explain the seemingly nonsensical evangelical support for Donald Trump. They delve into the suicide-pact between Trump and Jesus Country that seems rooted in apocalyptic nihilism, toxic absolutism, and a devastating cynicism about American politics. With a warmth and sympathy stemming from their own familial connections, Ana an...
Aug 16, 2019•55 min
After the horrifying massacre in El Paso, host Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) and former Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges ( @BetsyHodges ) navigate a complex discussion about race in America that’s all too relevant. Together, they break down the many ways in which racist structures diffuse and reinforce white supremacy. They also tackle the merits (or lack thereof) of calling someone ‘racist,’ and enter into a profound discussion centering around whether white people are “deserving of love.” For t...
Aug 09, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Content Warning: Sexual Assault. In this week’s episode, E. Jean Carroll ( @ejeancarroll ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to answer the age old question: do women really need men? E. Jean tells us about the road trip through femme-named towns and surprise interviews that forms the center of her new memoir, What Do We Need Men for: A Modest Proposal . In this frank conversation, E. Jean speaks about her rape at the hand of the President of the United States, and the coping mechanisms she us...
Aug 02, 2019•1 hr 3 min
In this week’s fascinating episode, Alexandra Minna Stern joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss how white supremicst and white nationalist ideologies became so entrenched in our current political landscape. We’re now in the age of Proud Boys running for office and Alexandra’s new book, Proud Boys and the White Ethnostate: How the Alt-Right Is Warping the American Imagination is the perfect launching pad into the deep, dark underbelly of modern white supremicist media and ideology. Toge...
Jul 26, 2019•1 hr 8 min
This week Amber Scorah ( @amberscorah ) and Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) discuss Amber’s new book - Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life . Together, they break into Amber’s former faith with the Jehovah's Witnesses, her complicated marital affair, and a subsequent exit from the church. Amber opens up about her current outlook on religion, and explains how she came to terms with her son’s sudden death. It’s more heartwarming than it sounds, we promise! Thanks to our sponso...
Jul 19, 2019•57 min
Rick Wilson ( @TheRickWilson ) and Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) meet for their monthly airing of grievances. Rick and Ana discuss how America is quickly becoming dismissed on the world stage, why a White House social media summit is the pinnacle of dum-dum behavior, how fetishization of normalization is unpleasant, and how the executive order overreaches of the Obama administration (which once caused Republicans to self-immolate) seem quaint in retrospect. Also: A New Game! (What? We can have ...
Jul 12, 2019•42 min
This week Shannon Watts ( @shannonrwatts ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss how she built the anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action from the ground up. Shannon’s new book Fight Like A Mother is both a memoir, but also a handbook for replicating these triumphs, as a sort of Activism for Dummies . Ana and Shannon honestly examine MDA’s origins, successes, goals, failures, and how to forge intersectional relationships with surprising allies. Thanks to our Sponsors! ThirdLove use...
Jul 05, 2019•53 min
