Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Why does Bridget Jones still hit us right in the feelings—decades later? Because she’s all of us. A little messy, a little lost, and still trying to figure it out.This week, we’re diving into the joy, the grief, the chaos, and the sexy normalcy of the new Bridget Jones movie—and why romantic comedies are finally having a moment again (and thank God for that). It’s a full-on love letter to the rom-com: from waxing mishaps and mom life meltdowns to why we need more midlife love stories and fewer Katherine Heigl movies.Author and rom-com scholar Erin Carlson (I’ll Have What She’s Having: How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy) is here to break it all down—with the passion and encyclopedic knowledge only the queen of rom-coms can bring. Plus, a sneak peek at Jo’s next big idea: a romance novel with recipes, grief, and maybe Stanley Tucci in a towel. Yes, please.Check out Erin's book I'll Have What She's Having 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

Today I'm dropping an episode of These Packs Puck. Anyone who's a parent knows how chaotic life with kids can be — but being a professional athlete and a parent comes with its own unique challenges. On their podcast, These Packs Puck, Madison and Anya Packer, professional hockey players and moms-of-two, speak candidly about their life on and off the ice. This episode happens to feature Jo talking about social media and parenting.  You can find more episodes of These Packs Puck 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

What happens when your life falls apart—and the Internet is watching?Jessica Turner had the husband, the kids, the career, and the perfectly curated feed. But when her husband came out as gay, everything she thought she knew about her life, her marriage, and herself shattered. In this raw and deeply honest conversation, Jessica opens up about what it really looks like to rebuild from the ground up—navigating grief, rewriting your worth, dating again, and raising kids with integrity in the spotlight.Her new book, I Thought It Would Be Better Than This, is a love letter to anyone living through disappointment and learning to write a new ending. Whether you’ve faced heartbreak, grief, or just feel like life didn’t go according to plan, this episode will remind you: it’s not over. You still get to choose what happens next.Grab Jessica's book I Thought it Would be Better Than This 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

Most of us think we understand our menstrual cycles. We track them with apps. We count the days. Maybe we even know when we’re ovulating. But what if everything you think you know is either oversimplified—or totally wrong?And what if the tools you're using to "know your body" are collecting your most intimate data... and selling it?In this episode, Jo talks with Laura Federico and Morgan Miller, authors of The Cycle Book, about the real science behind your cycle—and the avalanche of misinformation being spread by influencers who have no business talking about hormones. From raw meat diets to cycle syncing with moon phases, social media is full of bold claims and bad advice. This conversation cuts through the noise.You’ll learn: Why most period tracking apps are wildly inaccurate (and legally allowed to sell your data) What the follicular and luteal phases actually mean for your mood, energy, and well-being How to identify hormonal patterns that impact everything from sex to chronic illness Why pen-and-paper tracking might be the most powerful (and private) health tool you’ve never tried This isn’t about becoming a hormone expert. It’s about getting real information, trusting your own body, and unlearning the junk we’ve all absorbed from magazines, apps, and wellness influencers.Find The Cycle Book 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

Reverend Angela Denker, author of "Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood," dives into the troubling phenomenon of how online spaces shape young boys' mentalities. She discusses the alarming radicalization influenced by toxic masculinity and traditional gender roles, linking them to issues like mass shootings and high suicide rates among boys. Denker offers hope through stories of men overcoming extremism and emphasizes the need to foster healthier male identities. A compelling exploration of vulnerability and change!

You've earned the degree, landed the job, and crushed your first assignments—so why aren't you moving up? The shocking truth: it's not you, it's the system. "For every 100 men at the entry level that get that first big promotion, only 81 out of 100 women make the same leap." Join us as McKinsey senior partner Lareina Yee, co-author of "Broken Rung," reveals why the first step on your career ladder might be sabotaging your entire professional journey—and what you can do about it.Our guest, a McKinsey senior partner and co-author of "Broken Rung," shares startling insights about this persistent issue that has remained stubbornly unchanged over the past decade. Learn the warning signs that you might be stuck on this broken rung and discover tactical strategies to actively manage your career from day one.The conversation explores: How to recognize when you're stalling in your early career years The concept of "experience capital" and why the first 5-7 years are critical Why choosing a company culture matters more than choosing a job How technology skills can future-proof your career Practical ways successful women can help others climb past the broken rung With 12 million occupations expected to shift and change by 2030, this episode offers essential guidance for women at any career stage—whether just starting out or pivoting industries. Discover why success isn't a solo act and how building strong networks with both mentors and sponsors can make all the difference in navigating today's rapidly evolving workplace.Buy The Broken Rung 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

In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with extraordinary mountaineer Melissa Arnot, whose achievements include multiple Everest summits including one without supplemental oxygen. But this conversation goes far beyond climbing mountains.Melissa's new book explores the universal struggle many women face: never feeling like we're enough despite accomplishments that prove otherwise. From her tumultuous upbringing to becoming an elite mountain guide while balancing motherhood and relationships, Melissa shares her journey of overcoming the relentless inner critic.This raw, honest discussion resonates with anyone who's ever felt inadequate despite "doing all the things." Like the bestseller "Wild," this isn't just a story about outdoor adventure—it's about discovering what it truly means to be enough in a world that constantly demands more.Join us for a powerful conversation about self-worth, impostor syndrome, and finding peace with who we are rather than what we achieve.Learn more about Melissa and get Enough 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

From wine windows that went viral during the pandemic to churches becoming TikTok sensations, we unpack how influencer culture is changing the way we experience historic and cultural sites all over the world, but particularly in Italy. Plus, we tackle that other burning question: with so many Americans dreaming of escaping to Italy, is it actually feasible? And would those same people just become part of the problem? Is all of it just a social media induced fever dream for most Americans?Listen to Fosca's excellent podcast here and learn more about all of her excellent Italian services here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on Sunday Nice Things I'm dropping in an episode of the show Too Much Money that I made with my friend Doree Shafrir. The show is a wild ride through the crazy ways that billionaires spend their money. And now that we live in a world with a billionaire ruling class it's a more interesting listen than ever.This episode is about why billionaires love to buy media properties and then ruin them. In this ep we discuss the various billionaires (Jeff Bezos, Patrick Soon-Shiong, Mort Zuckerman, Sam Zell, etc.) who have bought media properties, what happened next, and who suffered (hint: not them!).Listen to all the episodes of Too Much Money 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

The misinformation about birth control and women's rights on social media has reached a fever pitch. The other day I was served a reel telling me that taking birth control will both give me cancer and make me more attracted to my cousin. How can we fix this? With information. Can a report card help save reproductive rights in America? This week, I'm chatting with Jennie Wetter from ePROs Fight Back to discuss their groundbreaking report card grading all 50 states on reproductive health and rights. As the US earns its sixth consecutive failing grade, they break down the current landscape of abortion access, sex education, and maternal healthcare state by state. A crucial listen for understanding reproductive rights at the local level—where the real fight is happening.Jennie is the director of the rePROs Fight Back initiative and leads the creation of the report. She also hosts a weekly podcast that is a go-to resource for keeping up with the devastation happening to reproductive rights.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