Under the Influence with Jo Piazza - podcast cover

Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Jo Piazzawww.iheart.com
Under the Influence is a deep dive into social media, a place haunted by aspirational marketing where it feels like every other person is a social media influencer trying to sell you something, all while posed in perfect houses that never seem to get messy. And behind this airbrushed perfection is money, so much money. Billions and billions of dollars. Journalist and mom Jo Piazza looks at how we got here, what it all means and how the commodification of every single aspect of our lives is driving everyone (but mostly women and mothers) a little insane.
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Episodes

Prime Domination: Amazon's Holiday Shopping Conquest with Dana Mattioli

As we head into Black Friday and the vortex of holiday shopping we need to chat just a little bit about the Amazon of it all. Today’s guest is Dana Mattioli, author of THE EVERYTHING WAR: Amazon's Ruthless Quest to Own The World and Remake Corporate Power. She’s helping us dive into all of our feelings about shopping with Amazon and how to weigh the often wonderful convenience of it with the challenges faced by small businesses and the safety concerns related to some products sold on on the site...

Nov 27, 202447 min

The Ozempic of it All

If women don't have real conversations about their health and their bodies then we will never get the healthcare we deserve. Get ready for lots of real and honest talk about Ozempic and the semi-glutides as Jo chats with Glynnis about all the questions people ask her about taking the drugs for the past three months including: Why did you start? Do you hate food now? Do you feel sick all the time? How do people react when you tell them? Are you gonna stay on it forever? Join our newsletter commun...

Nov 26, 20241 hr 10 min

Sunday Nice Things: The Family That Travels Together

Today we're dropping an episode of Committed in your feed. As a parent, how do you transcend the regular run of the mill parent/child relationship? How do you turn your bond into a real friendship? When Jessica's two kids were young, she pulled them out of traditional school, began homeschooling them and started traveling abroad. They left the U S a decade ago in search of a more authentic path. Since then they've lived in an RV in Europe for three years, learned to sail and crossed the Atlantic...

Nov 24, 202446 min

Restoring Sanity in a Digital World

AI technology is significantly increasing social media addiction every single day by predicting user behavior. It’s now more imperative than ever that parents model healthy screen habits to influence their children's behavior before it’s too late. In this episode, long-time tech exec Mark Weinstein, author of Restoring Our Sanity Online, discusses the evolution of social media, the rise of surveillance capitalism, and the increasing addiction to social media driven by AI. He emphasizes the need ...

Nov 21, 202445 min

The Real Secret of Success—Be a Likable Badass

How can you get the status you need and deserve? What makes people WANT to work with you? As a professor of organizational behavior at University of North Carolina Alison Fragale, the author of Likeable Badass, is trying to help women figure out how to gain the status we deserve. It’s easy to feel powerless at work and at home. But there are strategies we can use to boost our status with coworkers, potential employers, audiences and even our own kids. We're also going to dive into negotiation te...

Nov 19, 202449 min

Create Stronger Friendships and Get Rid of Toxic Ones

Friendships are the backbones of many of our lives. But they also feel harder than ever to maintain and nurture. We need more strategic approached to our friendships and we also need a blueprint for how to cull toxic friends from our lives. Here to give us all of it is Anna Goldfarb, the author of Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections. Anna argues that we need to update our approach to friendships in a way that accounts for the hyper-fluid society we live in. The key to f...

Nov 14, 202448 min

Debunking the Myths of Traditional Motherhood

What is a good mother? What is a bad mother. What is a traditional mother? Let's sit with all those questions for just a hot second and then realize that there's no right answers. Humans lived for 95% of our existence as hunter-gatherers: we raised children communally and in a way that was dramatically different from contemporary post-industrial societies. What can we take away from historical models of caregiving to help us get rid of the guilt and shame that social media heaps on us? We discus...

Nov 12, 20241 hr 4 min

How to Talk to Your Kids About the Election and Trump AND EVERYTHING

I woke up Wednesday morning in a sheet cake and red wine coma, floating in confusion, grief and fury. And yet I still had to parent. We still have to be the leaders and teachers our children will so desperately need for the strange and uncertain future. So how do we talk to our kids about what is happening? Today I'm joined by Amanda White, the Executive Director of the Therapy For Women Center and Julia Hitch of the Seattle Clinic to answer all of your questions. Join our newsletter community h...

Nov 07, 202436 min

You Deserve All the Hope

Take some time for yourself to enjoy this election day....to enjoy the fact that you got to vote for a woman for president. We get to savor that. And you know what I have a lot of optimism. Here to share in the joy with me are Glynnis MacNicol and @EmilyinYourPhone. Binge all of the episodes of We've Got Issues 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...

Nov 05, 202456 min

Sunday Nice Things: Frugal Friends

Let's take a break from election doom scrolling to clean out our closets. And while we do it why not try out a new podcast called Frugal Friends all about how to shift from a mode of overconsumption to one of underconsumption (and enjoy doing it). You can binge all of the Frugal Friends 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...

Nov 03, 202459 min

A Very Influencer Halloween with Sara Petersen

Influencers who hate Halloween, influencers who make you feel like you're failing Halloween (no more boo baskets people), plus a little Ballerina Farm brand extension for good measure. Subscribe to In Pursuit of Clean Countertops 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...

Oct 31, 202427 min

Can a Poem Have a Punchline? With @MaryOliversDrunkCousin

Why can't I do a back walkover as a 44 year old woman? That is the central theme of this hilarious episode with Lyndsay Rush, AKA @MaryOliversDrunkCousin. Sure we talk about poetry and existential dread, but mostly back walkovers and grudge holding against people who have no idea who we are. Lyndsay's new book of poems A Bit Much just came out and it is such a joy to read. Order it here . You can subscribe to our newsletter and join our community at Over the Influence . You can pre-order a perso...

Oct 29, 20241 hr 4 min

The Kids Are All Right With Gabrielle and Ben Blair

Parenting is a long game. After parenting six kids for the past twenty-eight years Gabrielle and Ben Blair know that better than anyone. I love advice from other parents, especially ones that I respect as much as Gabrielle (@DesignMom) and Ben. Today we’re getting into all the advice from their new book The Kids Are All Right including the importance of emotional authenticity, building a family culture, the benefits of low-stakes activities and embracing the crappiest of moments. Living in the w...

Oct 24, 202452 min

Legislating Utah Mom Influencers, FINALLY!

In the wake of the Ruby Franke scandal, Utah is finally considering legislation to protect and compensate the children of influencers. Joining us today is journalist Fortesa Latifi to talk about this breaking news AND the brand new tell-all book about the dangers of family vlogging from the eldest Franke child Shari Franke. Some of these influencers kids are helping their parents to make millions of dollars. McMansions and Mercedes are being bought from the labor. They deserve better and they ju...

Oct 22, 202437 min

Spicy Sex and Smart Ladies

There are 30 million romance readers in the United States and 50% read a book a week. That is a lot of books my friends! Today we are talking to our friends Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo about their brand new romance publishing venture 831 which is delivering sexy, smart and spicy romances for the modern woman. I’m obsessed with their first book Big Fan which not only features a kind male protagonist that you will definitely want to do it with, but also touts universal basic income in a very org...

Oct 17, 202446 min

The Cost of Scrolling—Free Yourself From Impulse Spending This Holiday Season

There's a fine line between marketing and creating false desires and influencers stomp all over it. Influencers often convince women they have problems that can only be solved by buying things. But this holiday season we don’t have to give in. Today we’re talking about the historical context of marketing and its impact on consumer behavior, emphasizing the emotional triggers behind impulse purchases. We have insights from Jen Smith of the Frugal Friends podcast and the author of Buy What You Lov...

Oct 15, 202443 min

Sunday Nice Things: Life Beyond Stay-at-home Motherhood

For today's Sunday Nice Things we are dropping in an episode of Mom to More. Join Sharon Macey, former SAHM and mother of 3 as she dives deep into conversations with inspiring moms who successfully reinvented themselves, forging impressive next acts. If you're seeking practical tools, actionable tips and that loving kick in the pants to create your "MORE," this show is for you. Get ready for a supportive and motivational exploration of life beyond raising kids as Sharon helps you unpack the ques...

Oct 13, 202445 min

The Kids Aren't Alright—Getting Rid of Toxic Achievement Culture

Why is everyone so burnout? Modern parenting has shifted towards a focus on status and achievement, often at the expense of genuine happiness and well-being. How did we get here? How did our kids' childhoods end up so different from our own? Can we find some kind of middle ground between overstressed parents killing themselves to help their kids achieve and our own parents who drove us around in a station wagon with no seatbelts. Journalist and author Jennifer Wallace joins us to talk about her ...

Oct 10, 202451 min

$$$Mormon #MomTok Money$$$

The Mormon #MomTok ladies are making serious bank and I want to talk about it. Many of these women are the breadwinners in their families and that is shaking up the patriarchy of the Mormon Church. Joining us today is Bobbi Rebell of Financial Wellness to talk about everything from product placement to brand integration to royalties. Money has given these women options and power in spite of their husbands and their community and that is what we should really be talking about when it comes to thi...

Oct 08, 202451 min

Owning Your Own Story with Lauren Sisler

Lauren Sisler’s journey of overcoming the shame of losing her parents to opioid addiction hasn’t been easy, but she has allowed it to give her purpose and help her find resilience. In her new book Shatterproof the ESPN sideline reporter details how her mother and father died within hours of each other, victims of their hidden battle with prescription drug addiction. Today we're talking about her path to writing that book and letting go of the shame of her parents' story so that she can honor the...

Oct 03, 202445 min

How Digital Beauty Standards Are Messing Us Up with Elise Hu

What has digital culture done to our standards of beauty and to our wallets when we have to spend to reach those standards of beauty. The proliferation of all digital media has wildly influenced how we perceive ourselves and our bodies, often to our detriment. Today we're joined by Elise Hu, a journalist and author who used her time as an NPR correspondent in Korea as a launching pad to explore the brave new world of absurd beauty standards. We also talk about why meat on a stick is the best foo...

Oct 01, 202442 min

Sunday Things: True Crime with RedRum

So many of you have been asking me for true crime podcast recommendations and I have a few I can drop in the feed. Let's start today with REDRUM. REDRUM is a podcast focusing on the true victims of crime. Each episode focuses on a new story. Real life, real victims, real crime presented by Grace Cordell. REDRUM True Crime is available wherever you get your podcasts. Spotify link Apple link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Sep 30, 202440 min

The House in Habit of it All

This is our first episode taking a look at the rise of "independent journalist" Jessica Reed Kraus through the lens of the recent RFK Jr. sexting scandal with journalist Olivia Nuzzi. What does it mean to be an independent journalist and how is House in Habit impacting the news cycle. This is an excerpt from my new show with @EmilyinYourPhone We've Got Issues. So much more on this topic to come. You can binge all the episodes of We've Got Issues Here . Join our Over the Influence newsletter here...

Sep 26, 202445 min

Who Gets to Write History with Sharon McMahon

As a former history and government teacher Sharon McMahon thought she could do something to help combat all the misinformation and confusion she was seeing online in 2020. Since then her social media presence @SharonSaysSo has filled a vital need for clarity during complex times. Sharon cuts through the outrage, online vitriol and B.S. Her new book The Small and the Mighty is a hopeful and inspiring portrait of twelve ordinary Americans whose courage formed the character of our country. In this ...

Sep 24, 202448 min

The Secret Life of a Real Life Mormon Trad Wife

When we see images of #tradwives on social media we see beautiful images of domestic bliss. Young women looking at this content could be easily tricked into believing this is a more aspirational path than getting an education or their own work experience. But the real women who have escaped real tradwife situations paint a very different picture of abuse, submission and control. Today's guest was married and pregnant at eighteen. Her husband forbid her from going to school, getting a job or even...

Sep 21, 202442 min

The Deeper Meaning in Mormon #MomTok Trash

Let's take a deep dive into the intensely dramatic and overly scandalous new reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Joining me today is New York Times columnist Jessica Grose to dissect the deeper meanings behind all the Botox, swinging scandals and brattiness. Like them or not, these women are attempting to dismantle the patriarchy in their own way and they've gained a ton of power and money through social media. Come for the trash, stay for the insights into gender and religion. Subscr...

Sep 17, 202430 min

We've Got Issues

It's Jo's 44th birthday. We've got a little advice, a little hilarity and a brand new podcast to share with you. Jo has been working on a new show with @EmilyinYourPhone called We've Got Issues. It's a politics show that will actually give you some hope again, will make you laugh a little and will help you start hard conversations with friends and loved ones about this insane election. This week we are talking about the realities of the Trump and Republican agenda on IVF and how it will impact a...

Sep 12, 202446 min

Anti-Consumer-tok! Thrifting Advice from TikTok?

Raised by a single mother in Dayton, Ohio, Macy Eleni began thrifting at age 12 out of financial necessity and to help escape anxiety from bullies and an estranged relationship with her father. Over a decade later, Macy has built a massive TikTok platform around her love of second hand and vintage finds, and the belief that authentic self expression is crucial for mental health. Macy has created a sustainable niche amidst the hyperconsumerism of influencer culture, creating authentic personal st...

Sep 10, 202447 min

How Moms can Make Friends and Dinner with Caroline Chambers

When you're a mom two things can feel impossible, making new friends and making dinner. In today's episode we are joined by NYT bestselling author Caroline Chambers of the What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking substack to talk all about her book of the same name. We're digging into how hard it can be to build community, but how wonderful it is when you do it. We will also chat about how Caroline took a rejected cookbook idea and turned it into the best food substack in the world by cater...

Sep 05, 20241 hr 2 min

Murder, Sex and Crazy Panties in the Galapagos

Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction. Let's dive into a gothic true tale of murder, sex, jealousy and mayhem in paradise. In Eden Undone Abbott Kahler tells the story of the German ex-pats who tried to build themselves a utopia in the Galapagos Islands with dire consequences. This story has so much to tell us about fame and infamy and the pursuit of both. Just like today's homesteading influencers who claim to go off the grid in pursuit of a simpler life, these settlers also chased their vers...

Sep 03, 202438 min
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