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

Having a Baby Can Break You with Sarah Hoover

Too many of us enter motherhood carrying expectations shaped by filtered social media posts, polished representations in media, and well-intentioned but incomplete stories from those who came before us. We're told we'll instantly fall in love with our babies, that we'll intuitively know how to be mothers, and that any difficulties will be outweighed by overwhelming joy. That’s not the experience for a lot of us. This week I got to chat with Sarah Hoover, author of "The Motherload," for a candid ...

Feb 27, 202548 min

How to Communicate Better On and Offline with Charles Duhigg

How good are you at communicating? The truth is that we can all be better at being heard and hearing others. Communicating well is not a super power, but rather a skill that any of us can learn. And in this age of intense digital communication, we all need to find ways to stop just shouting or whispering into the void and truly connect with one another. Our guest today is Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and the author of Supercommunicators. He's giving us practical tips for imp...

Feb 25, 202550 min

Sunday Nice Things: Romances & Practicalities with Nick Aster

On Today's Sunday Nice Things we are diving into the new book Romances & Practicalities, a love story in 250 questions by blindsiding my husband into answering some of these questions live on a microphone. We also hear about his Parker Posey/Sarah Silverman fetish, which makes all of the sense. Grab a copy of Romances & Practicalities 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. Vi...

Feb 24, 202532 min

Are Gen X Women Having the Best Sex?

Are Gen X women having the best sex of anyone? Let's talk about this week's viral New York Times article about women in their 40s and 50s experiencing an unprecedented sexual renaissance. This is a generation that is rewriting the rules about pleasure, power, and partnership. Perhaps Gen X hit the perfect timing: mature enough to know their worth, young enough to embrace change, and shaped by an analog childhood that fostered authentic connections. From the impact of social media on modern datin...

Feb 20, 202545 min

Going Full Crone With Jessica Grose

What if we just stopped accepting the absurd beauty standards that society has created for women? What if we actually aged gracefully instead of just talking about it? That's what New York Times columnist Jessica Grose has decided to do. We chat about her viral article about choosing to "go full crone" in 2025, rejecting cosmetic procedures like Botox in favor of letting her face just do what a face is supposed to do. We explore how social media has intensified beauty pressures, the astronomical...

Feb 18, 202548 min

The Hellscape of Summer Vacation for Moms

What if summer vacation did not suck? Let's dive into the challenging reality of summer childcare in America and explore why planning for summer breaks has become increasingly stressful and expensive for parents, particularly working mothers. Katherine Goldstein writer of "The Double Shift" newsletter, joins us to discuss the historical context of America's unique summer childcare crisis (spoiler: it is much, much worse here than in most other countries) and shares creative alternatives to tradi...

Feb 13, 20251 hr 8 min

A Terrible No Good Visit to the ER

Join Jo and Glynnis as they dive into Joe's recent experience with pneumonia and the challenges of navigating the ER, explore the sense of dread permeating America right now, and discuss the importance of finding joy and community in challenging times. Also, Go Birds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 06, 20251 hr 1 min

Is Gender Equity Dead?

The world is not fair. But it feels even less so these days. Today's we're diving headfirst into the pressing issue of gender equity in the workplace with special guest and senior researcher, Siri Chilazi from Harvard's Kennedy School. Siri is much more optimistic than I am about the future for women and I wanted to know why. We're chatting about practical strategies for hiring, performance evaluation, and breaking down norms that hold us back. How do we operate in a workplace and world where DE...

Feb 04, 202546 min

We've Lost the Plot in Skincare

Why are the skincare girlies always washing their faces? Are all those products they push on social media any good or are they just getting paid to promote them? Today we're breaking down all the social skincare myths and tricks with skincare professional Jordan Samuel. What really works? What is all b.s." And what is the worst skincare product I was tricked into buying this year. Learn more about Jordan and his wonderful products here : Join our newsletter community here . Pre-order EVERYONE IS...

Jan 30, 202547 min

The Cult-Like Tactics of Marketers and Influencers with Mara Einstein

Marketing expert Mara Einstein reveals how modern marketing tactics mirror cult recruitment strategies. When she noticed the eerie similarities between the NXIVM cult and LuLaRoe's business practices, she began researching how marketers manipulate consumers through digital platforms. She breaks down why your late-night shopping sprees are no accident, how AI is making advertising even more deceptive, and why influencers function as "cult light" leaders guiding our purchasing decisions. Einstein,...

Jan 28, 202553 min

The Myth of the Good Mother

The myth of the good mother in absolute BS and it has pushed too many women into spirals of shame and guilt for not being "enough." Today we are debunking all of the pseudo science, flawed studies and media archetypes that contributed to the myth of the good mother so that we can talk about the reality of being a mom. Our guest is Nancy Reddy, author of The Good Mother Myth. The conversation also dives into practical steps for sharing domestic responsibilities and fostering more genuine, joyful ...

Jan 23, 202549 min

Surviving Shame

Everyone feels shame, but it also feels like a misogynistic construct that is more often placed on women. Nearly a decade ago, Melissa Petro was working as a public school teacher when the NY Post outed her as a former stripper and call girl. The media went wild and she was publicly humiliated and forced to resign from a career she loved. From then on, Melissa has dedicated her life to growing awareness of how sexist shame is weaponized against women to keep us from achieving our goals and knowi...

Jan 21, 202549 min

Protecting Kids and Teens on Social Media, A Talk With Nicole Lopez of Meta

Protecting kids and teens on social media is one of the things I think about all of the time. What are the platforms doing to support parents and is it enough? How can the government do more and what do parents need to know about all of it. Today we're having a candid conversation with Nicole Lopez, Meta’s Global Director of Youth Safety. Nicole shares insights on how Meta is tackling online bullying, sextortion, and the challenges of age verification. Join our newsletter community here . Pre-or...

Jan 16, 20251 hr

A Revolution for Women's Work and Ambition with Neha Ruch

This episode will motivate you in all kinds of new ways. Amidst all of the chaos in our country right now we actually have an opportunity to completely blow up the way we view motherhood, caregiving, women’s labor and ambition. Neha Ruch is leading this revolution. The author of the new bestseller 'The Power Pause,' joins me to explore the outdated stereotypes of stay-at-home motherhood and proposes a new narrative that values career pauses. The discussion highlights the importance of redefining...

Jan 14, 202549 min

Shari Franke Tells All

Shari Franke, the eldest daughter of former YouTuber and convicted child abuser Ruby Franke, is on the media circuit right now to promote her new memoir, "The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom." Journalist and friend of the pod Fortesa Latifi just did an exclusive interview with Shari about Rolling Stone and is here to talk about all the reveals in the book from why Shari thinks family video influencing should be fully outlawed to her mother Ruby's romantic relationship with her...

Jan 09, 202549 min

Is This Normal? A Truly Excellent Chat with an Influencer OB-GYN

The number one question Dr. Jennifer Lincoln gets asked as an OB-GYN who gives fact-based information on Instagram is "IS THIS NORMAL?" Because these days it is truly hard to figure out what is. Instagram and TikTok influencers are putting out more misinformation than ever about women's bodies. Dr. Lincoln joins us to dispel myths, provide fact-based advice, and talk about her journey to using Instagram to educate. We're getting into the challenges of finding reliable information, the dangers of...

Jan 07, 202552 min

How Will I Die? (And How Will I Age?) with Deb Whitman

As she approached her fiftieth birthday, Debra Whitman, a globally recognized expert on aging, wanted to delve deeper into why so many Americans struggled to live well as they aged. And she began to wonder what was in store for her own second fifty. Suddenly, the questions she’d been studying for years became personal: How long will I live? Will I be healthy? Will I lose my memory? How long will I work? Will I have enough money? Where will I live? How will I die? Whether you are approaching fift...

Jan 02, 202538 min

New Years Resolutions That Aren't Dumb

What do you want more of in 2025? I want more travel, more friend stuff, more adventure. We're digging into all of it with Glynnis on today's episode. I also want money and security and I think it is OK to say those things out loud. We also have special guest Ophira Edut of the Astrotwins, my favorite astrologist, to tell us what the stars have in store for us in the next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Dec 31, 202432 min

Who is Sick of Being a People Pleaser?

What if all of the women in the world just decided to stop helping tomorrow? The world would shut the hell down, is what would happen. One of the things that I've realized about myself is that I am an intensely over committed, pathetic people pleaser. I am always offering to help way more than anyone ever expects. My guest today, Amy Wilson wants us to recognize this about ourselves. She isn't here to help us fix it, but just to see it. Amy has always been the ultimate helper. She describes hers...

Dec 26, 202444 min

How to Pivot in 2025

The new year isn't just about resolutions – it's about revolution. Your professional and personal revolution. It's about reclaiming the lead role in your life's story. Today, we're chatting with my very best friend Jackie Cascarano about how she went from lawyer, to working in academia to coaching women through career and life transitions with her business Juno Women's Collective. 🚀 Listen in as we explore the journey of reinvention and finding your true purpose. We talk about succeeding and fa...

Dec 24, 202452 min

You Deserve a Friend Trip (Live from Iceland)

Coming at you live from Iceland to encourage you to book that friend vacation in 2025. Or better yet ask your husband to give it to you as a Christmas gift. We spend so much time planning our kids play dates and their activities that we forget to do these things for ourselves. No more. We cannot be our best selves without taking time for ourselves. Let's talk about the joys of me time, of friend vacations and doing absolutely nothing in a new place while I soak in a hot spring on a black lava be...

Dec 19, 202431 min

The Ambitions of a Teenage TikTok Star

Today we're taking a deep dive into the world of a 16-year-old TikTok star who wants to change the industry as we know it and ensure that the next 20 billionaires are females under 25. Sloane Price is wildly ambitious in ways I couldn't have imagined possible when I was a teenager. And today we're talking about her business plans, the ways that brands and agencies take advantage of teen girl influencers (plus how she wants to fix it) and why the teenage influencers today are the future of celebr...

Dec 17, 202446 min

Sunday Nice Things: Where's My Village?

Today we're dropping an episode of We've Got Issues in your feed that's been getting a lot of attention. We all want a village, or so we say? But where is it? How do we find it? How do we keep it? And once we get it will we actually be happier? You can binge all 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...

Dec 15, 202453 min

When Influencers Make Us Feel Bad About Ourselves

It's way too easy for social media to make us feel like crap. But the things that shame us or guilt us, or make us want to throw our phones across the room often say more about our own demons and trauma than they do about the influencers themselves. Today we're joined by journalist Fortesa Latifi who went down a rabbit hole of jealousy looking at one influencer's birth pics. We're also diving into the exquisite stupidity of push presents and whether or not you should feel guilty about wanting to...

Dec 12, 202443 min

Ballerina Farm's Latest Flex

Who lands the cover of the far-right version of Cosmo, a profile in Glamour magazine and another in The New York Times within days of each other? Ballerina Farm does. I'll bet you thought it was Cher. Let's dive inside the Ballerina Farm media blitz with Glamour reporter Stephanie McNeal who spoke to Hannah Neeleman for her rebranding "I AM NOT A #TRADWIFE" press tour. We're asking questions about whether or not a social media brand can appeal to everyone in our polarized world and whether rebra...

Dec 10, 20241 hr 2 min

Sunday Nice Things: Basket Case

Happy Sunday! We are dropping a new show in your feed today. This is Basket Case (LOVE THE NAME). Where do you go when your own thoughts are unsafe? Basket Case, a series hosted by Nicole Kelly (NK), decodes the kaleidoscope of mental health and uncovers how our brain contorts our reality through original reporting, tender conversations, and deeply personal explorations. On this episode, Bertranna’s autism makes her obsessed with finding the Truth about neurodiversity. You can binge all of Baske...

Dec 08, 202446 min

Suffs Broke Open My Soul, An Interview with Nikki James

Behind every powerful woman… are more powerful women taking justice into their own hands. That is currently more true than ever. When I saw Suffs the musical the other day I found myself sobbing in the bathroom with complete strangers and I simply had to talk about it with the magical Nikki James who portrays the inimitable Ida B. Wells in this Broadway masterpiece. SUFFS brings to life a complicated chapter in the ongoing battle for the right to vote: the American women’s suffrage movement. In ...

Dec 05, 202451 min

Ballerina Farm's MAGA Cover Reveal

This week Hannah Neeleman, the founder and CEO of the brand Ballerina Farm appeared on the cover of Evie magazine , the MAGA-friendly lady magazine that claims to be an alternative to traditional media’s abject feminism. If we had any questions about the Neeleman family’s political leanings (I didn’t) then this answers them for us. On the cover Hannah is posed seductively in a prairie field whilst milking a cow in a pristine linen dress. The magazine, which is cleverly designed to looks exactly ...

Dec 03, 202445 min
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