Jared “Cupid” Freid and Jordana “Matchmaker” Abraham are here to answer all your Valentine’s Day questions. This year for V-Day, Jared’s off to Alpharetta, Georgia for a block of shows and Jordana’s staying in while hubby Mike cooks her up something special. J&J discuss what the perfect meal for V-Day is that still leaves room for romance (for our home cooks, Chef Jared suggests grilled chicken, penne and spaghetti squash). Then in partnership with Shake Shack, we play a special game called BOGO...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 632
Jordana’s gone full-on suburbs. She’s enrolled in a “tennis clinic” and in between perfecting her serve is trying to infiltrate the neighborhood gossip circle. She continues to debate the pros and cons of pulling the trigger on getting a dog. Later, J&J give a pep talk to a listener who recently went through a bad breakup after realizing that she and her longterm partner were not on the same page regarding kids. On Awkward Encounter, things get messy after a dog steals a listener’s menstrual cup...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 631
Jared’s 40th birthday is approaching and he might be on the cusp of an impending meltdown. He’s being haunted by images of how he’ll be spending his upcoming 40th: alone, on an international flight to New Zealand (in a Delta One seat, of course). And after purchasing a luxe coffee maker with insane upkeep, Jordana is having some buyer’s remorse. On Icky or Picky, a listener keeps accidentally going on dates with guys with the same last name as her and it’s creeping her out. Later, we hear from a...
Feb 07, 2025•37 min•Ep. 630
It’s February, which means we can all complain about it officially being the coldest month of the year. To start things off, Jordana tells Jared about her sister’s recent stay at her place and the creative new ways her seven-year-old nephew stress tested her new furniture. Jared’s hot off of a star-studded show at the Comedy Cellar, where Madonna inexplicably performed a 40-minute comedy set. Later we dive into our mailbox, and hear from a listener who worries that all her longterm relationships...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 629
Another Bachelor breakup broke the internet this week. After four years of dating and no engagement in sight, Matt James called quits on his relationship with Rachael Kirkconnell. With all the confusion and discourse over this breakup, Jared and Jordana enter the chat with their own takeaways. On “Icky or Picky,” a listener ends up dating a meme king which is all fun and games until he sends her about 30 memes over the course of two days. When things don’t work out between them, he sends her a V...
Jan 31, 2025•42 min•Ep. 628
We’re one month into 2025 and J&J are here to keep you motivated, even if you already quit your New Year’s Resolutions. Jordana is fresh off of hosting a housewarming party and Jared is struggling to find time to write a book about dating while actively still dating. Later, we hop into emails, including a listener who wonders if her friends actually need to know the guy she’s dating and we answer the mother of all dating questions: How do I approach the gym hottie without being creepy? Today’s “...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 627
More than 25 years later, "Sex and the City" is still on our minds when it comes to how we would handle dating and relationships. However, since Gen Z has entered the chat and millennials hit double-digit rounds of rewatching, the discussions have shifted from identifying as the Carrie of your group to Carrie Bradshaw arguably being one of the worst characters we know. Still, Jared and Jordana aren't ready to hop on the hate train yet. They break down why we're so repulsed by some of Carrie's mo...
Jan 24, 2025•43 min•Ep. 626
It’s the dead of winter and we’re all in “hamper girl mode.” Jordana and Jared shake off the cold by jumping into some heated dating questions. Can a person have too many ongoing chats on a dating app? How do I know if breaking up was the right decision? And TikTok has spoken: Ghosting is out and “avoidant discarding” is in. J&J discuss this new dating term and how it’s even worse than just leaving someone on read. Later, a listener meets his Reese Witherspoon-esque dream girl. The catch? She li...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 625
It’s a second-guessing time of year on the podcast and in the dating world! Should you go out even though you're not feeling it in the thick of winter? Should you go for it with the cute person you met in your hometown? All the kinds of questions that J&J are tackling this Friday! They play a round of “Petty or Prudent?” about texting an ex’s family that his cheating is the reason your relationship is ending. Plus, a listener writes in about wanting to pursue the guy in her hometown thousands of...
Jan 17, 2025•38 min•Ep. 624
In the midst of reflecting and changing, this episode is on theme for the new year shifts you’re trying to make happen! After J&J catch each other up on their holiday breaks, a listener committed to keeping casual wonders how she can keep her anxious dating habits at bay. The Awkward Encounter would be a nightmare for any parent and teen. Then, after dedicating his 20s to his career, a 30m listener asks how to make his focus more dating-centric. Can a demanding job complement his dating life or ...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 623
If someone isn’t for you, let them. Easier said than done, but in today’s episode, we’re joined by Mel Robbins (@melrobbins), motivational speaker and author of “The Let Them Theory”, to tell us how. After Mel comes in hot with a reality check that we may be the cause of our biggest problems, Jared and Jordana question how listeners can apply the Let Them Theory to their lives whether they’re on the apps, ready to have kids or in a constant communication rut with their significant other.For more...
Jan 10, 2025•55 min•Ep. 622
This week, J & J are fresh off a dinner party together, but Jared’s own awkward encounter at a bar afterwards has him regretting that nightcap martini. After some daydreaming about winter getaways, we dig into the e-mails, starting with a listener who put their friend onto the pod, watched them succeed at finding love, but keeps striking out on their own. They tackle a couple of listener’s dating app woes, like should you stop replying if they make an edit to their profile you really dislike? To...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 621
Dating Coach, Hinge Relationship Science expert, and friend of the pod Logan Ury (@loganury) is here to help J & J answer the question haunting single women everywhere: Where are all the guys?!? Her new Netflix show “The Later Daters,” where she coaches singles over 55 on how to get back in the dating scene, is now streaming – and proving that some dating struggles never change, even with age. They really dig into Logan’s 2025 passion projects: the gender imbalance in dating, the need for male s...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 620
Happy New Year, U Up? listeners! J&J are ringing in the New Year doing what they do best: going a little bit off the rails. Jared plans to celebrate the New Year by toasting his martini to the moon (and hopes you will toast him back, wherever she is). They reflect about their 2024, before diving into some of Jared’s 2025 dating resolutions which include new-and-improved dating lines, personal improvement, and why you should be an even worse first date. Then, we hear from one listener who wants t...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 619
The holidays are coming to a close, the New Year is looming – is it time to get your shit together? We’re ending 2024 by welcoming author, entrepreneur, and returning guest Ramit Sethi (@ramit) to the studio for a (seriously) fun conversation about money and relationships. His new book, "Money for Couples", is about how to create your most "Rich Life." It’s a touchy subject, but Ramit holds our hand through it all: how to broach the money convo early on, reframing financial conversations through...
Dec 27, 2024•58 min•Ep. 618
‘Twas the U Up? before Christmas so J&J dressed up for fun. Regardless of your holiday plans, you won’t want to miss this one! With unhinged holiday spirit taking over the entire studio, they play a round of “Naughty or Nice?”, offer up Jared’s first date of 2025, and end with a holiday competition of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas rewrites by Jared and our producer, Candice. Plus, the Awkward Encounter involves a feline funk and J&J give a reality check when a cheating woman writes in with ho...
Dec 25, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 617
What does 2025 hold for your love life? Kelley Knight (@kelley__knight), psychic and owner of Modern Mystic Shop, returns to the studio to help us see what’s in store for each of our futures! First, she surprises J&J with gifts and they catch up since she gave Jared a reading in an episode last December. Then, Jared and Jordana each ask a question about different aspects of their lives for a quick reading. The episode ends with a round of Tarotscopes as Kelley makes predictions for each zodiac s...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 616
After a couple weeks away from the studio and just days after Jared’s special taping, Jordana starts this episode by giving Jared his flowers and catches him up on her girls’ trip as the hosts settle back in. The first email asks for advice for everyone traveling to stay with family over the holiday season. How do you balance dating and family time when you’re away from your city, but don’t want to take a break? The Awkward Encounter, sponsored by A24’s Babygirl, comes from a woman unsure when t...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 615
Feeling lucky? On par with Friday the 13th, Jared and Jordana ease into the episode with their thoughts on superstitions, energy, and beliefs. Plus, Jared shares where his head is at ahead of a recording break for the Thanksgiving holiday, Jordana’s trip, and his special taping. Then, they play a game called “Is That My Wife?” inspired by Jared’s DMs. The episode ends with an email from a 26M listener wondering if he should be feeling more for the woman he’s been seeing for a couple of months or...
Dec 13, 2024•41 min•Ep. 614
Why won’t Jared go to therapy? We get this question often and, this week, he shares his own thought on why as well as a helpful TikTok, "Men Who Wear Masks And Struggle With Conflict" by @elisemicheals. Plus, he and Jordana are slipping more into f*ck it mode for the holidays. The first email is advice ahead of office holiday party season when your coworkers knew your ex: how do you introduce your new boyfriend to your coworkers without any awkward moments? The Awkward Encounter has a strange co...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 613
J&J are feeling good for this Friday episode with big plans for both hosts, and with this kind of energy, you never know where the conversation will take them! As you’ve seen on IG Stories by now, Jordana should be on her way back from a group trip and Jared is gearing up for his special taping in Tarrytown. With live performances on their minds, and as with most conversations lately, Wicked finds its way into their chat–except it just has Jared missing when he was into Marvel movies. Plus, Jare...
Dec 06, 2024•39 min•Ep. 612
We’re officially in “let’s circle back in the new year” territory, and to embrace it, J&J set out to make this the most unhinged U Up? episode this year. They talk about the pursuit of meaningful relationships and how the distraction of dating apps is clouding the way for the people making actual efforts. Plus, after the public reaction to Benny Blanco sharing that his relationship with Selena Gomez started by her asking him out*, they talk about the public’s perceptions of their relationship an...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 611
It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, but before you get the new iPhone 16, J&J want you to know how a new AI feature on the iOS 18 update could affect your dating life. With breakup texts submitted to our Instagram and a ChatGPT assist from our producer, Shannon, Jared and Jordana break down how the conversations went and generate what an AI version would look like. They also determine when a breakup text is appropriate and play out their own breakup scenarios. The episode ends with a roun...
Nov 29, 2024•54 min•Ep. 610
It’s officially our favorite time of the year and J&J get a little unhinged today as they amp up for what’s to come! They come in hot with a fresh new rant about TikTok’s favorite couple, Pookie and Jett. Plus, because the holidays are a tricky time for love lives regardless of status, J&J are guiding you through Thanksgiving and the start of holiday season with a lightning round of advice. They listen to a slightly shady voicemail from a curious mom and answer a range of Instagram submissions c...
Nov 27, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 609
We're at the end of cuffing week to prep you for the cuffing season ahead, and Jared and Jordana are doing temp checks on the unofficial statuses between casual, comfortable and committed. First, Jordana gives us a home renovation update and Jared shares a sad breakup story of his own. They play a round of "Icky or Picky?" about getting too comfortable wearing weird PJs too soon. Plus, a 27F listener needs advice on whether or not to build a roster to kick her dating life into high gear. The epi...
Nov 22, 2024•51 min•Ep. 608
The holidays are getting closer and the weather is getting colder which can only mean one thing: cuffing season is here. Jared and Jordana delve into the discourse around cuffing season and discuss controlling the narrative around your dating life. Then, a 27F listener writes in to ask whether wanting casual sex is derailing her dating goals. She's never had a real boyfriend; is abstinence the only way she'll ever find one? The Awkward Encounter involves a situationship with a love kink. Next, a...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 607
It's our anniversary! 7 years after the first U Up? episode, Jared and Jordana walk into a decorated studio themed to the traditional 7th-anniversary gifts: copper and wool. First, J&J exchange gifts, then they talk about what the dreaded 7-year itch means in relationships. Next, Jared and Jordana reveal their lists of what they want for the pod's future. The episode ends with a lightning round of U Up? history and reflecting on top pod moments since our last anniversary. Learn more about your a...
Nov 15, 2024•58 min•Ep. 606
Jared fills Jordana in on his bizarre and funny late night Halloween experience and they also discuss the new Martha Stewart documentary. They hear from a listener who is struggling with communication from their partner. Next, they hear an Awkward Encounter that ends with them walking in on somebody in bed with another girl. Then, they discuss an email from a listener who isn't sure how to know if a relationship is serious if they both don't want marriage. Finally, they dive into a round of "Red...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 605
DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded prior to the election. Jared and Jordana divulge the complexities of dating during an election year and how to navigate discussing politics on a date. In this week’s "Icky or Picky?" a listener wants to know if their date littering dog poop is something worth overlooking. Next, they tackle a listener’s dilemma concerning her date's disappointing "whiskey dick" and Jared opens up about male performance anxiety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Nov 08, 2024•40 min•Ep. 604
We're officially headed towards the toughest times to date—cuffing season and the holidays—so Jared and Jordana discuss how to navigate this tricky period. They hear from a patient whose attractive doctor makes her temperature rise but she's unsure whether to make a move or not. Next, they hear an Awkward Encounter about life at boarding school. Then, they discuss an email from a listener whose boyfriend is extremely jealous and suspicious of her male friend. Finally, they dive into a round of "...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 603
