Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

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. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining the conversation is Glynis McNichol, a pleasure correspondent and author who explores the vibrant sexual renaissance among Gen X women. They discuss how this generation, in their 40s and 50s, is confidently embracing their sexuality, challenging outdated societal norms. The conversation critiques media portrayals of middle-aged women's desires and highlights shifts in dating dynamics, particularly influenced by social media. Through personal stories and humor, they illuminate the joy and empowerment of female sexuality at this stage of life.

Jessica Grose, a New York Times columnist known for her viral piece on embracing aging, discusses her decision to "go full crone" by rejecting societal beauty standards. She highlights the intense pressure women face from social media and the financial burdens of cosmetic procedures. The conversation emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and authenticity, particularly in modeling healthy body image for future generations. Grose shares her insights on fostering body positivity and navigating the often toxic landscape of online beauty culture.

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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 traditional summer camps. Whether you're a parent already deep in the summer planning chaos or someone curious about this systemic challenge, this conversation offers both practical insights and a broader perspective on how we got here and what could change.Follow Katherine's work at the Double Shift newsletter 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

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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

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 DEI is becoming a dirty word? She's got great advice about how we can shift norms in our day to day even if we aren't the CEO and she did manage to fill my cold dark heart with a little bit of optimism.Grab Siri and Iris's book Make Work Fair 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

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 LYING TO YOU here.Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mara Einstein, a marketing expert and author of "Hoodwinked," dissects how modern marketers use cult-like tactics to manipulate consumers. She highlights the disturbing parallels between NXIVM and LuLaRoe's practices, revealing how late-night shopping sprees are carefully orchestrated. Einstein warns about AI's deceptive role in advertising and how influencers act as 'cult light' leaders. She emphasizes the need for critical thinking in an age of manipulative marketing, offering tools for resisting these overwhelming influences.