Double Date with Marlo Thomas & Phil Donahue: Recent Episodes
Pushkin Industries
Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue fell in love on live television and wed over 40 years ago. Eavesdrop as they visit the homes of famous long-marrieds for intimate conversations about enduring love and all its challenges: family, career, conflict, addiction, illness, jealousy — everything that binds couples together or can break them apart.With lots of laughs around the coffee table, we hear private takes, internal struggles and hilarious anecdotes from the likes of Viola Davis & Julius Tennon; Sting & Trudie Styler; Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka; Ray & Anna Romano; John McEnroe & Patty Smyth; Ten Danson & Mary Steenburgen; Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos; Bob Woodward & Elsa Walsh; Rodney & Holly Robinson Peete; George Stephanopoulos & Ali Wentworth; Patricia Cornwell & Staci Gruber; Judges Judy & Jerry Sheindlin; Dr. Sanjay & Rebecca Gupta; President Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter; John & Justine Leguizamo; David & Mary Boies; Bryan Cranston & Robin Dearden; Jesse & Jacqueline Jackson; Rob & Michele Reiner; and Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan.iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
We’ve talked a lot on this show about health issues midlife women face. But what about the other people who often have a front-row seat to these changes, and can play a key supporting role? This week, a conversation about supporting a partner who’s going through menopause—with none other than Elizabeth’s own partner: Dr. Richard Shapiro (who also happens to be a pioneering breast cancer and melanoma researcher and surgeon). They talk about the ways they’ve navigated midlife changes in their relationship, common misconceptions about taking hormones, and impacts menopause can have on relationships, as well as give advice for how both partners and clinicians can better support women experiencing menopause.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
(00:01:38) Dr. Elizabeth Poynor on Rich Roll’s podcast
Menopausal Hormone Therapy and the Risk of Breast Cancer in Women with a Pathogenic Variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2
The Menopause Society
8 facts about divorce in the United States
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
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We all have our own ways of coping - especially when things get tough. So for the next few shows we're going to talking to people with interesting coping strategies. And we start with Elias Weiss Friedman, aka The Dogist.
Throughout his life, Elias has found comfort in dogs. And when he got fired from his job, dogs came to the rescue again - they helped him forge a new career as a photographer and a social media star.
Elias discusses his journey and what he thinks dogs can teach us about being our best selves. And for more stories, check out his new book This Dog Will Change Your Life.
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Nothing says romance like a perfect playlist—except, maybe, a special network-wide episode about love songs.
In this Valentine’s Day special, Broken Record hosts Justin Richmond and Leah Rose make their cases: is R&B the undisputed sound of love? Are sad songs more romantic? Can country win the day?
Plus, the legendary songwriter Babyface talks about how young love shaped his most enduring ballads, Malcolm Gladwell breaks down the perfect break up song, and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey writes a love song of his own.
Whether you're mid-swoon or nursing a broken heart, this episode is our valentine to you.
Listen to Broken Record’s interview with Babyface.
Listen to a Revisionist History episode about sad songs.
And hear more from Ben’s band, Rookin.
Plus, our battle of the playlists continues… here’s Leah’s sad songs playlist. And Justin’s for love songs. Pick your fighter and… enjoy!
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The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. But all too often, the darker, colder days of winter, and even the stress of preparing for the holidays themselves, can lead people to feel something else: rushed, stressed, lonely, or even hopeless. How can you make sure this year is bright?
Dr Laurie joins Dave DeSteno on his show How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality to unpack the psychological secrets of celebrations from Christmas, to Hanukkah, to Yule, and more. They’ll also discuss how we can put that wisdom into practice, whatever our beliefs, to make this season a happier and healthier one for all.
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It’s hard to stay hopeful these days. Stanford professor Jamil Zaki has been studying the incredible depth of human kindness for decades, but even he gives in to cynicism when he doubts our ability to be civil and cooperative.
That’s a shame - because shedding cynicism and grasping hope will make you happier and healthier. Jamil and Dr Laurie Santos look at the scientific evidence showing that we should be more trusting of other people and optimistic about our facility to work together.
Jamil's book Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness is out now.
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Holding yourself to impossibly high standards is self-defeating and makes for a miserable life. Can Dr Laurie Santos find ways to tackle her constant perfectionism so she can perform better and have more fun?
She hears from researcher Thomas Curran about a worrying growth in perfectionism in society, and asks "recovering perfectionist" Jordana Confino how to tackle the nagging voice in your head telling you to always push yourself and work harder.
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Prepare to be schooled in the art of conversation by dynamic duo Casey Wilson and Jessica St. Clair. Dismissing the notion that small talk is a painful social obligation, these self-proclaimed small talk maestros share their gift of gab in this laugh-out-loud and instructive audiobook. With their help you might find yourself excitedly asking your barista about the weather…and maybe you’ll get a free coffee. Who knows!
Enjoy Chapter 11: How to Use Small Talk in Love, and if you’re interested in hearing more small talk tips, get the complete audiobook at:
Pushkin: https://www.pushkin.fm/audiobooks/the-art-of-small-talk
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/309by6YVsUZED5MhGlV0H8?si=TDPcSzeWQZKuggmkDRNh9g
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Art-of-Small-Talk-Audiobook/B0CPM98G3J
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-art-of-small-talk-go-shallow-to-go-deep/id1737294114
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Listen to this special episode from another podcast we think you'll love called Embodied from WUNC. When human romance isn't working out, can an AI chatbot successfully take its place? Host Anita Rao hears varied perspectives on that question. She meets a journalist who got dumped by her AI crush and talks with a woman whose AI companion turned her life around. Plus, psychologist Melissa McCool, the clinical product consultant for AI tech company Luka, takes Anita behind the scenes of making AI companions.
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Science writer Florence Williams felt blindsided when her twenty-five-year marriage unexpectedly fell apart. Trained as a journalist, Florence set out on an expedition to understand the science of heartbreak and game her way back to health. Enjoy this special excerpt from Florence's audiobook, "Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey", and if you’re interested in hearing more of her story, download the complete audiobook at pushkin.fm/heartbreak.
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Some people are just good at building and maintaining healthy partnerships. In their "Love Lab", the married researchers Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman have seen how certain couples interact in ways that mean they'll happily stick together for decades. Enjoy this special episode of The Happiness Lab with Dr Laurie Santos.
The Gottmans join Dr Santos to explain what we can learn from these "Masters of Relationships" - so that the stresses and strains of life don't destroy our intimate partnerships.
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Raised by Ricki is a show from our friends at Lemonada Media featuring Ricki Lake and Kalen Allen. If you like Double Date then we think you’ll love Raised by Ricki. In the 1990s, a generation of kids, teens, and young adults got home, kicked off their sneakers, and settled down in front of the TV to watch Ricki Lake. Hosted by Ricki herself alongside TV personality and digital creator Kalen Allen, Raised By Ricki revisits the 90s iconic talk show, The Ricki Lake Show, and the era to which it belonged. Part rewatch podcast, part cultural retrospective, and mostly hilarious, join Ricki and Kalen each week along with cultural icons like John Waters, Rosie O’Donnell, and Andy Cohen, past producers, former guests, former audience members and more. In this episode, the most spicy and taboo topic of all? Sex! This week, iconic comedian, actress, and musician Margaret Cho joins Ricki and Kalen to talk about sex work, sex positivity, and how society’s views on all things sex have evolved since the 90s. She talks about her time as a phone sex worker, how working at a leather dildo shop kickstarted her LGBTQIA+ advocacy, and her memories of how The Ricki Lake Show handled sex-related topics in the 90s – and what she thinks a Ricki Lake Show episode about sex work would look like today. For more Raised by Ricki, head to https://link.chtbl.com/RaisedbyRickiPodcast
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We’re sharing a bonus episode from another Pushkin podcast, Revisionist History. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. This season, Malcolm’s obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, scientific experiments, thought experiments. In this preview, Revisionist History does a deep dive into the 90s sitcom, Will and Grace. Will and Grace was quietly revolutionary in changing our collective beliefs around gay marriage. Malcolm explores the show’s role in the widespread acceptance of gay marriage and looks at how television’s ability to change public opinion has changed with modern-day streaming. You can hear more from Revisionist History at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/rhs7?sid=date.
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This week, we're sharing a new audiobook from Pushkin, the company behind The Last Archive. It’s called Heartbreak and it’s written and read by Florence Williams. Florence is a science journalist, but when her husband of 25 years broke up with her, she became her own subject. Florence set out to understand what was happening to her, emotionally and physically, after the divorce. The result is a courageous and intimate audiobook filled with interviews, conversations with friends and audio diaries from some of her most vulnerable moments. Divorce is painful, many of our Double Date guests have been through it and discussed in depth on the show. But this audiobook is a beautifully detailed chronicle of a path through.
You can order the Heartbreak audiobook now at pushkin.fm/heartbreak.
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Pushkin is thrilled to announce that A Slight Change of Plans was named Apple Podcasts' Best Show of the Year! This week, we're sharing an episode with Double Date listeners. A Slight Change of Plans is all about understanding the science of change. That understanding, mixed with a healthy dose of compassion, has made the show a perfect antidote for the times we’re living in. Dr. Maya Shankar has interviewed celebrities like Tiffany Haddish and Kacey Musgraves. But she’s interviewed real-life inspirations, too. People who have dealt with cancer diagnoses or the loss of a loved one, and somehow managed to learn and grow from those hard experiences.
In this episode, Maya discusses a heartbreaking change she recently experienced in her personal life, while on her way to becoming a mom. Maya's producer Tyler interviews her about her own “Slight Change of Plans.”
You can hear more A Slight Change of Plans episodes at https://link.chtbl.com/doubledateslightchange
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Presenting: An Excerpt from Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com and receive an exclusive listener's guide pdf featuring additional commentary from Bruce, the producers and editors of Miracle and Wonder.
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Sharing an episode of Pushkin’s newest show, Backstage Pass. Eric Vetro is the voice coach to the stars. From Camila Cabello to Shawn Mendes, to John Legend, Eric Vetro has guided your favorite singers during some of the most iconic moments of their musical lives. On Backstage Pass, Eric’s celebrity students retrace their vocal journeys, from the very first song they ever sang, through notable challenges in their careers. Listen to Ariana Grande talk about the blessing and curse of perfect pitch. Hear Chloe Bailey’s transformation from singing at a summer camp to signing with Beyoncé. You’ll hear these singers as you never have before, and you may even learn to sing a little better yourself.
In this episode, Ariana Grande talks to Eric about her vocal range, how Broadway influences her music, and the struggles of perfect pitch.
You can hear more Backstage Pass episodes at https://link.chtbl.com/doubledatebackstagepass
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This week, we're presenting an episode of The Happiness Lab. On the show, Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos shares surprising research and inspiring stories that change the way we think about happiness.
In this episode, Laurie talks to actor Rob Lowe about why nostalgia isn't always so rosy. Rob says that, as much as he loves the '80s, he's careful not to wallow too much in nostalgia for the music, fashions and events of his youth. Laurie explains that happiness science backs him up on this: Research suggests our memories of the past can be very selective and very unreliable - causing us to misremember events and cast them in a rosy glow. You'll learn why this causes us to make very bad decisions about what will make us happy in the future.
You can listen to more episodes of The Happiness Lab at http://podcasts.pushkin.fm/happinessdoubledate
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We visited America’s sweethearts on Manhattan’s East Side and found them as devoted and candid as ever. During a short period in the late 80’s, Michael and Tracy got married, had a son, Michael lost his father and gained a life-altering diagnosis — a lot for a young couple to navigate. How it started and how’s it going? An inspiring story you won’t want to miss.
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You can’t drop in on Rob and Michele and not expect a lively conversation and a whole lotta laughs. This clever, committed couple knows how to use the middle of the night right: arguing about the Kennedy assassination and enjoying each other as a “best friend you can have sex with.” You can reverse the order, too, and it still works!
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Two American icons of social justice, the Reverend and Jackie have trailblazed across history and endured threats — all the while raising their children and keeping their family intact. Hear their lessons of courage through world events, infidelity, forgiveness and keeping the faith.
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Bryan and Robin met as actors when he had to kidnap her on a TV show. Friends first, their attraction blossomed later — like a lightbulb turned on that reveals everything. He proposed in a hilarious way – in a bathtub. They are serious about their relationship, they’re funny and sweet and we learned a lot from them.
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Hey Double Date listeners. While we're off this week, we wanted to share with you a fun new show from Wondery. Rich and Daily delivers laughs and all the latest celebrity news. Hosts Brooke and Aricia are comedians, besties and the perfect guides to give you your daily dose of pop culture. They'll keep you up to speed on all the secrets, scandals, and news in the entertainment world. Is that rumor you heard about Rihanna true? If it is, you better believe Brooke and Aricia will have something to say about it. This is just a preview of Rich and Daily, but you can listen to full episodes at wondery.fm/doubledate_RD.
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The role most people know David Boies for is not “husband.” But our interview with this legendary litigator and his whipsmart wife showed us how tragic loss, and a few well considered compromises (involving Las Vegas), can lead to an “upward spiral of kindness” — and a marriage that any couple would envy.
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How “Mambo Mouth” found love and lived happily ever after. New Yorkers to the core, John and Justine combined his Latin roots with her Jewish heritage, and they never met a holiday they couldn’t turn into a party for their extended family. He may need his own floor of the house in order to write, but Justine seems to keep him inspired, simply by being herself.
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How often do you get to talk to a former President and First Lady — about love? Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter explain how they’ve kept their marriage alive for — consider this — 75 years, and how the hardest thing they ever did was not surviving the White House, but writing a book together.
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Just a couple of kids from Michigan — Sanjay and Rebecca nonetheless had deep backgrounds that were very different. But interweaving his Indian family with her Scandinavian heritage was much easier than you might expect, thanks to this smart, grounded pair whose marriage made all the sense in the world. Hear the nation’s favorite Doctor in a truly American story of love and family.
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While we take a break this week, we're bringing you something special. Marlo and Phil spent the past year interviewing other couples about what makes their marriages work. Recently, they moved behind the microphone when Jo Piazza invited them to share their love story on the Committed podcast. They started at the very beginning, on the set of Phil's show, and talked about how they grew together over the next four decades. Jo's Committed interviews are an incredible glimpse inside what it takes to make a marriage work. Sometimes they're heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, but always relatable. Jo finds couples who have gone through some of the most difficult challenges life can throw at you and still want to wake up together the next day. Her show will help you look at marriage and commitment in an entirely new way. You can hear more Committed episodes wherever you get your podcasts.
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She’s a nonstop dynamo, he’s a mensch, and they’ve been married not once but twice — to each other! With a year apart, and many lessons learned, Judy and Jerry figured out how not to let their Judge-iness get in the way of marital bliss.
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When a juggernaut crime novelist falls for a whip-smart neuroscientist, you kinda figure it won’t be ho-hum. Patricia met Staci during a research trip to Harvard, and knew instantly that attraction was in the books. As a researcher, Staci was cautious at first, but when Patricia showed up flying a helicopter for an early date — really, you just say YES.
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When they were getting fixed up by a friend, Ali was ho-hum about the prospect. Good thing she went anyway. This odd couple of proper-news-achor-meets-salty-adorable-comedienne is open to sharing how much they still enjoy sex — and why they believe it’s the root of their lasting bond.
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On their first date, the NFL quarterback admired how this successful actress sauced up her fries and how she looked in her daisy dukes. A quarter century later, Rodney and Holly have met with the challenges of career stages, his recovery from addiction to pain medication and the autism of one of their children — facing down each obstacle and still holding fast to each other. A real testament to love’s longevity and grit, their story includes some tried and true lessons for us all.
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When you go to DC to visit two journalists at the heart of modern American political history, you don’t expect also to get a deep insight into the man who first introduced our nation to the revelations of “Deep Throat”. Bob and Elsa’s candid interview was not the conversation we were expecting with this journalistic legend.
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Thanks to TV, Kelly is usually in our living room, not the other way around. During this hilarious and intimate visit at the gorgeous apartment she and Mark share with their three kids, we found out who’s the old-fashioned one, who’s the jealous type and who threw a wedding ring out the window.
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Ted was a self-proclaimed “hot mess” in 1994 when he met Mary in a cast meeting for the film “Pontiac Moon.” During our magical visit to their Santa Monica bungalow, we hear how Mary’s calm energy turned this conflicted playboy into a self-aware and deeply-committed husband, and how an early canoe ride down the Mendocino River became a fitting metaphor for their life together.
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What do you get when you pair a strong-willed tennis legend with a spitfire rockstar? John and Patty welcomed us to their spacious apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side to hear feisty banter, their story of combining families while building their own — and his plea that she just join his band already.
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Everybody loves Ray, but no one knows his true heart and enduring neuroses better than Anna, his adorable wife of over 30 years. They met working at a bank in Queens, long before he was famous, and she is still the anchor that keeps his world — and occasionally his ego — firmly planted on the ground.
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Before they met, Neil and David were two hot young actors often up for the same gigs. With love, determination and laughs, they've long since made sure that jealousy (professional and romantic) is the only thing unwelcome in the gorgeous Harlem brownstone they share with their two children.
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We visit Sting and Trudie’s stylish New York apartment to find out how Sting disdains a hot temper, Trudie knows which women will catch his eye, and they both cherish a good ritual.
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Viola and Julius found deep love in the land of Opposites Attract. We visit their charming home in Southern California to find out who is the emotionally open one, and who leaves the bathroom a tornado site.
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Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue fell in love on live television and wed over 40 years ago. Eavesdrop as they visit the homes of famous long-marrieds for intimate conversations about enduring love and all its challenges: family, career, conflict, addiction, illness, jealousy — everything under the sun. With lots of laughs around the coffee table, we hear private takes, internal struggles and hilarious anecdotes from the likes of Viola Davis & Julius Tennon; Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka; Sting & Trudie Styler; Ray & Anna Romano; John McEnroe & Patty Smyth; Ten Danson & Mary Steenburgen; Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos; Bob Woodward & Elsa Walsh; Rodney & Holly Robinson Peete; George Stephanopoulos & Ali Wentworth; Patricia Cornwell & Staci Gruber; Judges Judy & Jerry Sheindlin; Dr. Sanjay & Rebecca Gupta; President Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter; John & Justine Leguizamo; David & Mary Boies; Bryan Cranston & Robin Dearden; Jesse & Jacqueline Jackson; Rob & Michele Reiner and Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.