Why Oh Why
118 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 6 years ago - ★★★★ - 977 ratingsNamed a best new podcast of 2016 by The New York Times, NPR, Huffington Post and iTunes. Andrea Silenzi speaks with friends, experts, and guys in bars about where love, dating and sex meets technology. The show tells the stories about relationships often blurring the lines between memoir, documentary, and fiction.
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Episodes
#36: Like a Virgin
June 26, 2017 12:08 - 31 minutesAre millennials spending too much time behind their screens and not enough time in the back seats of cars? Recent studies show that the generational cohorts born in the 1980's and 1990's are starting their sex lives later than Gen X'ers did. Twice as late. We'll talk with a lovely member of the so-called "hook-up generation" next to a pool in Florida. What can her romantic resume tell us about the state of dating today? Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! Join our show as we take over Bonobos Guides...
Data-ing
June 15, 2017 11:22 - 34 minutesThe persona we create online or on apps isn't very representative of what's going in our lives. So we brought in Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of "Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are" to tell us more about what everyone's hiding, and how it all relates to our dating lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#35: Data-ing
June 15, 2017 11:22 - 34 minutesThe persona we create online or on apps isn't very representative of what's going in our lives. So we brought in Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of "Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are" to tell us more about what everyone's hiding, and how it all relates to our dating lives. Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! Join our show as we take over Bonobos Guideshops across the country for special live podcast tapings. These shows sold out quick! Bu...
#34: Live at Bonobos - The Rules for Dating in NYC
June 14, 2017 02:21 - 40 minutesWe begin with a story: The tale of your host's earliest ancestor’s dating life, and the love life of a more recent relative, Grandma Phyllis. Then comedian and writer Naomi Ekperigin (Broad City, Difficult People) and her “Jew Boo” writer and performer Andy Beckerman help an audience member find love, and share how they found each other in the NYC improv scene. To see photos from our live show, visit whyohwhyradio.com. Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! This summer we're taking over Bonobos Guidesh...
Live at Bonobos - The Rules for Dating in NYC
June 14, 2017 02:21 - 40 minutesWe begin with a story: The tale of your host's earliest ancestor’s dating life, and the love life of a more recent relative, Grandma Phyllis. Then comedian and writer Naomi Ekperigin (Broad City, Difficult People) and her “Jew Boo” writer and performer Andy Beckerman help an audience member find love, and share how they found each other in the NYC improv scene. To see photos from our live show, visit whyohwhyradio.com. Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! This summer we're taking over Bonobos Guidesh...
Why So Forlorn, OK Cupid?
June 08, 2017 17:38 - 54 minutesDoes OK Cupid's app icon tell a larger narrative of chaos and distress? Let's use the logo design of popular dating apps to explore the state of the companies and the substance of their products. In doing so, we're joined by Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut. They're the cofounders of Design Observer, and hosts of The Design of Business | The Business of Design and The Observatory podcasts. We're also joined by Teddy Blanks, a graphic designer and founder of design studio Chips. He makes the...
#33: Why So Forlorn, OK Cupid?
June 08, 2017 17:38 - 54 minutesDoes OK Cupid's app icon tell a larger narrative of chaos and distress? Let's use the logo design of popular dating apps to explore the state of the companies and the substance of their products. In doing so, we're joined by Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut. They're the cofounders of Design Observer, and hosts of The Design of Business | The Business of Design and The Observatory podcasts. We're also joined by Teddy Blanks, a graphic designer and founder of design studio Chips. He makes the...
Deep in the Woods
June 01, 2017 09:00 - 28 minutesOver at Why Oh Why HQ, we're planning quite the event for our first live show with Bonobos. And it got us thinking about the joy of crafting a live show and the fun of experimenting with the medium. Today, we'll listen back to one of this podcast's first live radio experiments starring our hilarious pal Jim Behrle, and our even more hilarious relative Grandma Phyllis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#32: Deep in the Woods
June 01, 2017 09:00 - 28 minutesOver at Why Oh Why HQ, we're planning quite the event for our first live show with Bonobos. And it got us thinking about the joy of crafting a live show and the fun of experimenting with the medium. Today, we'll listen back to one of this podcast's first live radio experiments starring our hilarious pal Jim Behrle, and our even more hilarious relative Grandma Phyllis. Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! Join our show as we take over Bonobos Guideshops across the country for three special live podca...
#31: Daddy Randy
May 13, 2017 06:31 - 28 minutesThe other day, Randy called to say he was outside Panoply studios. Didn't we get his fax messages? Hear why our show's favorite regular guest is happier than ever. Why Oh Why: Live At Bonobos! Join our show as we take over Bonobos Guideshops across the country for 3 special live podcast tapings. The tour kicks off in NYC on June 1st, and will travel to Chicago on June 15th, and LA on June 29th. To reserve your free tickets today, visit slate.com/live. These live shows were made possible by Bo...
Don't Listen If You're My Ex-Boyfriend
May 05, 2017 03:00 - 35 minutesHow do you even begin to deal with heart break? Your host weighs the advice. We'll speak with Olga Pronin, the marketing manager at Wham-O. Dr. Fred Nour is a neuroscientist and wrote the book True Love. Gretchen Rubin hosts the Happier podcast with her sister, Elizabeth Craft. Baldwin Way is an assistant professor at the Ohio State University. You can find his research study about acetaminophen dulling emotions here, and can read more about the connections between physical and emotional pai...
#30: Don't Listen If You're My Ex-Boyfriend
May 05, 2017 03:00 - 35 minutesHow do you even begin to deal with heart break? Your host weighs the advice. We'll speak with Olga Pronin, the marketing manager at Wham-O. Dr. Fred Nour is a neuroscientist and wrote the book True Love. Gretchen Rubin hosts the Happier podcast with her sister, Elizabeth Craft. Baldwin Way is an assistant professor at the Ohio State University. You can find his research study about acetaminophen dulling emotions here, and can read more about the connections between physical and emotional ...
Hotter on Bumble, Part 2
April 21, 2017 03:00 - 39 minutesIf our potential matches on Bumble feel hotter than other apps, who's making that decision? What does this mean for us normals? Reynald Adolphe caught our eye with his blog post: "Is Bumble's Algorithm Filtering Ugly People?" He is a software engineer and teaches other people how to be engineers, too. He tweets: @reynaldadolphe Chris Volinsky was part of the winning team for the Netflix Prize to develop a better recommender system. He's assistant vice president of big data research at AT&T, a...
#29: Hotter on Bumble, Part 2
April 21, 2017 03:00 - 39 minutesIf our potential matches on Bumble feel hotter than other apps, who's making that decision? What does this mean for us normals? Reynald Adolphe caught our eye with his blog post: "Is Bumble's Algorithm Filtering Ugly People?" He is a software engineer and teaches other people how to be engineers, too. He tweets: @reynaldadolphe Chris Volinsky was part of the winning team for the Netflix Prize to develop a better recommender system. He's assistant vice president of big data research at AT&T, a...
Hotter on Bumble, Part 1
April 14, 2017 03:00 - 30 minutesBumble is held up as Silicon Valley's gift to single women. Finally, a dating app made with us in mind. But after you download the app and start swiping, does it live up to the reputation? In this episode, you heard clips from all our focus group episodes (#1, #13, #26), and our episode about The Bachelor (#23). Valerie Woolard is a developer with Megaphone, the technology side of Panoply. She tweets: @valeriecodes Satnam Narang works at Symantec, and has been following spam and bots on Tinde...
#28: Hotter on Bumble, Part 1
April 14, 2017 03:00 - 30 minutesBumble is held up as Silicon Valley's gift to single women. Finally, a dating app made with us in mind. But after you download the app and start swiping, does it live up to the reputation? In this episode, you heard clips from all our focus group episodes (#1, #13, #26), and our episode about The Bachelor (#23). Valerie Woolard is a developer with Megaphone, the technology side of Panoply. She tweets: @valeriecodes Satnam Narang works at Symantec, and has been following spam and bots on Ti...
#27: Muscle Thrasher
April 07, 2017 03:00 - 39 minutesIn June 2013, your host and friends independently piloted a podcast idea called "Like Like." The concept involved setting up blind dates and recording them with wireless microphones. While we never completed a full episode of the show (it turns out blind dates are full of awkward small talk), we've always wondered what became of our eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. In this episode, hear about the dating life of Robynn Europe. What's it like to date while looking so outwardly strong? Pan...
Muscle Thrasher
April 07, 2017 03:00 - 39 minutesIn June 2013, your host and friends independently piloted a podcast idea called "Like Like." The concept involved setting up blind dates and recording them with wireless microphones. While we never completed a full episode of the show (it turns out blind dates are full of awkward small talk), we've always wondered what became of our eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. In this episode, hear about the dating life of Robynn Europe. What's it like to date while looking so outwardly strong? Lear...
Aspiring Dads Focus Group
March 31, 2017 03:00 - 34 minutesIn which six single guys split between D.C. and Brooklyn studios share their plans for the future—down to the baby names. For listeners who aren't accustomed to hearing straight men talk about these things, queue the softcore porno music. Plus, we're joined by this show's editor, and host of The Longest Shortest Time podcast Hillary Frank for a parent's perspective. You can subscribe to her show in iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
#26: Aspiring Dads Focus Group
March 31, 2017 03:00 - 34 minutesIn which six single guys split between D.C. and Brooklyn studios share their plans for the future—down to the baby names. For listeners who aren't accustomed to hearing straight men talk about these things, queue the softcore porno music. Plus, we're joined by this show's editor, and host of The Longest Shortest Time podcast Hillary Frank for a parent's perspective. You can subscribe to her show in iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts. #TryPod: All this month, we’re asking you to tell ...
#25: Your Best Foot
March 24, 2017 02:00 - 20 minutesWhat do you do when you meet someone who doesn't meet your most essential criteria? Why Oh Why explores how turning thirty can change your dating life for the better. #TryPod: All this month, we’re asking you to tell a friend about a podcast they’ll love--because believe it or not, some people haven't discovered this wonderful world. So go be their guide! Tell them in real life or on social media, and help them find their new favorite podcast. Use #TryPod to spread the word. Today's Sponsors...
Your Best Foot
March 24, 2017 02:00 - 20 minutesWhat do you do when you meet someone who doesn't meet your most essential criteria? Why Oh Why explores how turning thirty can change your dating life for the better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tips from a Gentleman
March 17, 2017 03:00 - 25 minutesJim's a 40-something guy who lives in Florida and exclusively dates strippers. What can he teach your host about improving her dating life in NYC? Tell Us: What do you make of Jim? Is he a real world Richard Gere seeking his own stripper with a heart of gold, or is there something darker at play? Would you take his dating advice seriously? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#24: Tips from a Gentleman
March 17, 2017 03:00 - 25 minutesJim's a 40-something guy who lives in Florida and exclusively dates strippers. What can he teach your host about improving her dating life in NYC? Tell Us: What do you make of Jim? Is he a real world Richard Gere seeking his own stripper with a heart of gold, or is there something darker at play? Would you take his dating advice seriously? #Trypod All this month, we’re asking you to tell a friend about a podcast they’ll love--because believe it or not, some people haven't discovered this won...
#23: As Seen on TV
March 10, 2017 04:00 - 24 minutesIn a time when dating feels so broken, could The Bachelor be a reasonable last resort? What does a reality show get right? To discuss this week's episode and this month's #trypod campaign, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Today's Sponsors: ThirdLove.ThirdLove is the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdl...
As Seen on TV
March 10, 2017 04:00 - 24 minutesIn a time when dating feels so broken, could The Bachelor be a reasonable last resort? What does a reality show get right? To discuss this week's episode and this month's #trypod campaign, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#8: How Will I Know (Welcome, Planet Money Fans!)
March 02, 2017 00:28 - 18 minutesThe wonderful team at NPR's Planet Money just rebroadcast an episode that changed the life of your host. To welcome any new listeners into our show, here's the classic episode that Robert Smith recommended. Hope you enjoy. Old listeners, thank you for forgiving this redundancy in your episode feeds! We really appreciate it. The more the show grows, the better stories we'll be able to offer you in the coming weeks. In this episode, we look back at the role this show has played in your host's p...
Going There
February 25, 2017 16:55 - 33 minutesToday's episode is basically StoryCorps, but between total strangers in the back of a bar with the potential of sex later. Have you ever had a meaningful interaction with a stranger? To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#22: Going There
February 25, 2017 16:55 - 33 minutesToday's episode is basically StoryCorps, but between total strangers in the back of a bar with the potential of sex later. Have you ever had a meaningful interaction with a stranger? To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#21: One Date at a Time
February 16, 2017 06:32 - 31 minutesThink about it: The de facto first date invitation tends to be "let's get a drink." What's a single person to do when they don't imbibe? Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhy.sexy, and every week we send 10 new subscribers our latest Why Oh Why swag. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One Date at a Time
February 16, 2017 06:32 - 31 minutesThink about it: The de facto first date invitation tends to be "let's get a drink." What's a single person to do when they don't imbibe? Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhypodcast.com, and every week we send 10 new subscribers our latest Why Oh Why swag. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#20: Do I Hate Men?
February 09, 2017 08:00 - 20 minutesBefore listening to this week's show, we recommend starting out with our "Dudes in Bars" episode from last week. It's #19. For this week's show, we go back to the day of the Women's March, back to our army of lady interviewers and the dudes they talked to in bars around the country. And we ask men whether or not they're feminists. Turns out, it's not such an easy question to answer. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andre...
Do I Hate Men?
February 09, 2017 08:00 - 20 minutesBefore listening to this week's show, we recommend starting out with our "Dudes in Bars" episode from last week. For this week's show, we go back to the day of the Women's March, back to our army of lady interviewers and the dudes they talked to in bars around the country. And we ask men whether or not they're feminists. Turns out, it's not such an easy question to answer. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitte...
#19: Dudes in Bars on January 21, 2017
February 02, 2017 08:00 - 27 minutesHow do we date men in a time when our rights are under attack? We sent 10 ladies into bars across the country on the day of the historic Women's March. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter with a weekly swag giveaway? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhy.sexy. You can find Allie Hock's podcast Everything is Fine! here: etfshow.org. Alice Anderso...
Dudes in Bars on January 21, 2017
February 02, 2017 08:00 - 27 minutesHow do we date men in a time when our rights are under attack? We sent 10 ladies into bars across the country on the day of the historic Women's March. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter with a weekly swag giveaway? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhy.sexy. You can find Allie Hock's podcast Everything is Fine! here: etfshow.org. Alice Anderso...
What Ifs and Butts
January 26, 2017 22:39 - 27 minutesIs Uber the new Tinder? A lesson in how to shoot your shot when life sends you a cute driver. You can find Kelli on Twitter @KelliAmirah, and see her GIF-filled story here. Then, for the bottom half of our episode, a user's guide to your butt with Dr. Patricia Raymond, who performs musical parodies online as Ms. Butt Meddler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#18: What Ifs and Butts
January 26, 2017 22:39 - 27 minutesIs Uber the new Tinder? A lesson in how to shoot your shot when life sends you a cute driver. You can find Kelli on Twitter @KelliAmirah, and see her GIF-filled story here. Then, for the bottom half of our episode, a user's guide to your butt with Dr. Patricia Raymond, who performs musical parodies online as Ms. Butt Meddler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#17: Alone Forever
January 20, 2017 09:00 - 22 minutesWhat's going on with you romantically? Nothing? Our guest Aimée Lutkin says that's okay. You can read her Jezebel piece here, follow her on Twitter @alutkin, and read more about her #onTinderatTinder project here. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhy.sexy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
Alone Forever
January 20, 2017 09:00 - 22 minutesWhat's going on with you romantically? Nothing? Our guest Aimée Lutkin says that's okay. You can read her Jezebel piece here, follow her on Twitter @alutkin, and read more about her #onTinderatTinder project here. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Andrea on Twitter as @andreasilenzi. Did you hear we have a weekly newsletter? You can sign up on our website: whyohwhypodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...
#16: Randy's Mema Died
January 13, 2017 08:00 - 25 minutesThis week on the show, our regular guest Randy finally goes off the deep end. Will your host dive in after him? Yes, it's a real website: ragineffininsanity.com To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Randy on Twitter as @randyisdaman and Andrea is @andreasilenzi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#15: The Quiznos Guy
January 06, 2017 08:00 - 25 minutesWhen your host first met Randy, it was the opposite of a meet-cute. We'll revisit the phone call that kicked off years of quasi-friendship. To discuss this week's episode, head to facebook.com/whyohwhyradio or tweet with #whyohwhy. You can find Randy on Twitter as @randyisdaman and Andrea is @andreasilenzi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hacking the Uterus 2.0
December 22, 2016 07:08 - 50 minutesThe inexpensive reproductive healthcare coverage offered by the Affordable Care Act may soon be a distant memory. On today's show, we speak with a woman fresh off her own IUD insertion procedure to see how she's adjusting. Then, we revisit a classic episode from Why Oh Why's years as a baby podcast. Travel back with us to January 2014, as your host prepares for her own IUD insertion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#14: Hacking the Uterus 2.0
December 22, 2016 07:08 - 50 minutesThe inexpensive reproductive healthcare coverage offered by the Affordable Care Act may soon be a distant memory. On today's show, we speak with a woman fresh off her own IUD insertion procedure to see how she's adjusting. Then, we revisit a classic episode from Why Oh Why's years as a baby podcast. Travel back with us to January 2014, as your host prepares for her own IUD insertion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#13: Single Straight Lady Focus Group
December 20, 2016 00:58 - 28 minutesBack in episode #1, we welcomed 10 dudes into the studio to shout about their dating lives. This week, our latest focus group invites 14 single ladies in New York and D.C. to chat about the many thrills and face palms that come with dating men. Is finding a partner essential to our longterm happiness? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Single Straight Lady Focus Group
December 20, 2016 00:58 - 28 minutesFor the first episode of this season, we welcomed 10 dudes into the studio to shout about their dating lives. This week, our latest focus group invites 14 single ladies in New York and D.C. to chat about the many thrills and face palms that come with dating men. Is finding a partner essential to our longterm happiness? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oblique Strategies
December 06, 2016 23:48 - 25 minutesSingle? Chances are, someone who is decidedly not single has given you advice lately. This week, Andrea asks economist and journalist Tim Harford to vet the various dating advice she's heard from friends and fellow podcasters. Tim has a new book out called "Messy" about the value of bringing intentional disorder into your world. One of the many podcasters offering advice in this episode is Mike Pesca from Slate's The Gist. You can hear their full conversation on episode #606, "Mike Debates Hi...
#12: Oblique Strategies
December 06, 2016 23:48 - 25 minutesSingle? Chances are, someone who is decidedly not single has given you advice lately. This week, Andrea asks economist and journalist Tim Harford to vet the various dating advice she's heard from friends and fellow podcasters. Tim has a new book out called "Messy" about the value of bringing intentional disorder into your world. One of the many podcasters offering advice in this episode is Mike Pesca from Slate's The Gist. You can hear their full conversation on episode #606, "Mike Debates Hi...
#11: Listen to Your Heart
November 29, 2016 09:00 - 20 minutesWhen your host became newly single, she was shocked to discover that Tinder had made a drastic change as well. Like when silent films turned into talkies, though way less culturally significant, there is now a distinct sound when two people match on Tinder. Here to explain the art of sonic branding is Steve Milton, a founding partner at Listen, who helped craft the app's new signature sound. Plus, in Trump's new America, our Facebook friends keep talking about getting an IUD. Why? We'll discu...
Listen to Your Heart
November 29, 2016 09:00 - 20 minutesWhen your host became newly single, she was shocked to discover that Tinder had made a drastic change as well. Like when silent films turned into talkies, though way less culturally significant, there is now a distinct sound when two people match on Tinder. Here to explain the art of sonic branding is Steve Milton, a founding partner at Listen, who helped craft the app's new signature sound. Plus, in Trump's new America, our Facebook friends keep talking about getting an IUD. Why? We'll discu...
Separation of Church and Date
November 22, 2016 09:00 - 27 minutesWe ask a group of Christian ministers about what it's like to date when your other big relationship in life is with God. Our panel includes Amy Norton, a recent graduate from Harvard Divinity School, Cara Rockhill, an ordained Transitional Deacon in the Episcopal Church, and Nick Chiurazzi, a Pastor of Youth at Lower Manhattan Community Church. Get Slate Plus: Andrea was recently interviewed by Slate's Leon Neyfakh about her decision to bring her personal life back into this show. To read thi...