Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

How do parents teach children what real friendship looks like? This conversation explores prioritizing friends through delays and busy schedules, making adult friendships visible at home, and modeling patience, generosity, affection, and commitment. It also tackles rebuilding neglected connections after having kids, finding community through children’s activities, and protecting time for friendships beyond the family calendar.

What happens when you keep showing up to the same coffee shop, gym, or bar? Familiar faces become friendly connections, routines create belonging, and chance encounters turn into real friendships. The conversation explores why local regulars are disappearing, how delivery apps and sprawling cities affect community, and ways to claim your own social territory without crossing boundaries.

NY Magazine and the Cut came in hot this week with an article titled "My Husband Has No Friends" - catchy, but really not very helpful in terms of solutions to a real problem. In fact it's one we've been working on since Episode 1. You may be the husband in question, feeling like that article resonated, or maybe you feel attacked, or maybe you're the wife or partner that felt heard by it. But since they didn't think to call us and ask for actual help, we decided we'd do what we always do and give you helpful tips if you're dealing with this issue. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We live in a world of instant intimacy, but maybe the best friendships are the ones that take their time. This week, Karo and Matt explore the rise of “slow friendship,” discuss why oversharing isn’t the same as closeness, and debate whether letting trust build gradually can lead to deeper, more lasting relationships. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When you go to a party where a host has put some thought into it, you feel it immediately and you feel great when you leave. What if we started putting just a tiny bit more thought into our hangs? We discuss how small tweaks can make it feel better than the normal routine that may be getting stale. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Karo and Matt are joined by returning champion Adam Pally to celebrate their 200th episode of Man of the Year! The guys chat about Hollywood, wellness, and working with friends. Stick around for the end when Adam roasts Karo for not casting him in the Tickle Me Elmo movie. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Karo and Matt have both recently returned from trips to London, which got them thinking about how friendship differs across the pond. They discuss why American friends tend to be more expressive, British friends tend to be more deeply-rooted, and how both qualities can be taken too far. Plus, what each country could learn from the other about being a better friend. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does it seem like friendship is effortless or more present in your life in summer? It's because it is. Why? Because you're in a summer friendship mindset. This week we discuss how to carry that forward into the fall - through what we call the Sad Sixty, to avoid that lull. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

College graduation comes with plenty of advice about careers, money, and success, but almost none about how to build a life filled with strong friendships. Karo and Matt share the lessons they wish they'd known at 22, from making new friends after college to staying connected as life inevitably pulls people in different directions. Whether you're a recent grad or just looking for a friendship reset, this episode offers practical advice for building the kind of relationships that last. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whatever happened to fun? Are you still having it with your friends? If so, great. Friendship doesn't stay fun by accident. In this episode, we talk about the small shifts that keep your relationships from becoming predictable and why the people you love deserve more than just dinner reservations and catching up. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.