Listen Now

We have news. Starting in 2018, we're taking a break from making Why Oh Why. While we can't predict the future, let's call it a break not a breakup. For this special episode, we'll hear from a wide range of past guests including David #1, Randy, Bumble Mike, and Mona Chalabi. Then, does your host have a secret boyfriend? In a Twitter survey, 35% of our listeners thought this was a possibility. Plus, two great Panoply shows we think you'll adore. Subscribe to By the Book and Family Ghosts wherever you get your podcasts. Say in touch! Follow @andreasilenzi on Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, Schuyler shared a playlist of songs that have helped her cope with depression and anxiety. It moved a lot of people in her life to reach out, including Tom. For all the feels, check out the playlists discussed in this week's episode: 1. Eardrummings Vol. 19 by Schuyler. "Here's a playlist of songs that sort of put words/music to how I feel during my lowest lows. These sounds help me swim my way through that almost-drowning sensation and find my way back to a place that feels safer and clearer." 2. Songs Schuyler Might Like by Tom 3. Songs Tom Might Like by Schuyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After you've developed an allergy to casual sex, is there a cure? We talk with comedy writer and performer Matteson Perry about keeping things casual. He's the author of "Available: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Hookups, Love and Brunch." Plus, Dr. Chris Donaghue explains the value of a strong sexual connection in the early stages of dating. He's the author of "Sex Outside the Lines" and co-host of LoveLine with Amber Rose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esther Perel has ideas for how to humor yourself on your first dates using a bit of role play. She's the host of the Audible original podcast "Where Should We Begin." You can hear Season 1 of the show on Apple Podcasts, and Season 2 is now available on Audible. She's also the author of "The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity." Plus, our strangest Blind Skype Date yet, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from Chicago Theater Works, our show begins with the love story. Hear how a first date turned into a meaningful relationship for six single women. This story came to us after Lisette's brilliant Twitter thread went viral. Plus, we help an American Ninja Warrior find love the old fashioned way: with a game show. Find out how five single ladies from our Chicago audience fare when we ask them real questions from the 1960s TV show The Dating Game. Ethan Swanson is on Instagram @ethanswanson.ninja, and he's a coach (alongside your host's brother!) for Ultimate Ninjas Chicago. Thank You, MM.LaFleur Today's show was made possible by MM.LaFleur, the women’s workwear brand whose mission is to take the work out of dressing for work. Each MM.LaFleur customer works one-on-one with an MM stylist, who helps her build her work wardrobe in a systematic, personalized way. To try a Bento Box yourself, visit MMBento.com. Use code WHY at checkout and MM.LaFleur will donate 10 percent of profits to PAWS Chicago. Thank You, The Fest This episode was recorded live at Chicago Theatre Works, as part of The Fest, an annual festival of live podcasts, every fall in Chicago, curated by the Third Coast International Audio Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On election night last November, the world shifted beneath our feet... but what was going on our bedrooms? Nona Willis Aronowitz is a features editor at Splinter and writes a newsletter called "Fucking Through the Apocalypse." She joins us to discuss sex, politics and woke misogynists in the Trump era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian has Muscular Dystrophy and gets around in a wheelchair, but that doesn't mean he won't make out with your girlfriend when you're not looking. On today's show, Brian tells his friend Luke what it's like for him to date with a disability. This episode came to us as a suggestion from Luke Terrell. (You might remember him from our LA show? He was the guy who made out with a girl on stage.) Luke is a filmmaker focused on telling stories about young adults with disabilities, and his latest project "Gabe" (with a few cameos from Brian!) is currently looking for distribution. To learn more about the film, visit thegabedoc.com or follow the film on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghosting has been called the millennial way of breaking up, but that doesn't make the phenomenon any less haunting for its victims. Just in time for Halloween, we present a collection of ghosting stories from listeners across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The age gap between men and women in heterosexual dating has become a fact of life in the 21st century. The Guardian’s Mona Chalabi suggests it’s time for that to change. Read her op-ed "I Want My 2.3 Bonus Years" in the New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The arm implant, known as Nexplanon, is a birth control option that's slightly more effective than the IUD, and less painful to insert. Why aren't we all using it? Why Oh Why's Lindsey Kratochwill investigates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Hurricane Irma sped towards Miami, Emily decided to ask a guy from Bumble if he wanted to evacuate with her as a 3rd date. Her family has a home in the woods of North Carolina, and they'd be out of town that weekend. Here's what happened after he said yes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helen Zaltzman has a way with words, which is why we're putting her to work solving one of the trickiest parts of online dating—composing your opening messages. Some lines can break the ice, while others just throw more ice into the void. We'll suggest a few ideas that just might work for you. Helen is the host of the The Allusionist podcast, and we especially adore her episode about online dating profiles. Plus, Mandy Len Catron helps us become better matchmakers. She's the author of the book How to Fall in Love with Anyone. Wanna Be Set Up on a Blind Skype Date? You don't even need to wear pants! Just fill out this Google form to be considered in our pool of singles or visit our website: whyohwhyradio.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, with Bumble Mike in tow, we set sail on a singles mixer, organized by The League. Is finding a date while stuck on a boat easier than swiping through the apps? And more importantly, who's your favorite yacht rock artist? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we talk to a human shield and a human billboard. First, Al Letson was just trying to cover a demonstration—an anti-hate rally in Berkeley. When he saw a group of balaclava-clad men descend on an apparent right-wing agitator, he jumped into the fray, using his body to defend the man from kicks and punches. Letson is the host of Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. And for the Spiel, is “#whaboom” the worst of our culture today? Today's show comes from Andrea's recent appearance guest-hosting Slate's The Gist podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we’re finally tackling THE QUESTION we're asked the most frequently as a podcast about dating: "Who should pay for the drink on a first date?" Join us for a Tour De Advice for straight daters, starting with Sarah Bennett, the co-author of F*ck Love, who suggest dating like a headhunter. Then we'll hear from a range of writers including James Michael Sama ("Here’s Why Men Should Still Pay For Dates"), Elizabeth King ("Why A Woman Should Definitely Pay On The First Date") and Tiffanie Drayton ("Why I Refuse To Pay For Dates"). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When determining your criteria for a date, how much should height matter? We'll talk to one woman who has always known exactly what she's looking for in a partner. Anna Goldfarb is a journalist and author of the book "Clearly I Didn't Think This Through." She has also written about her relationship for the New York Times. Our sponsors for this episode are Casper (code: WHY) and Squarespace (code: WHY). Go to casper.com/WHY or squarespace.com and use the promo code for special offers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you can fall in love with anyone, how do you choose well? Mandy Len Catron offers an answer. She's the author of the book How to Fall in Love with Anyone. She also wrote the Modern Love essay "To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This" for The New York Times, which was one of the top 5 stories the paper ran in 2015. You can try “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love” by downloading this free New York Times app to your phone, tablet or other device. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many fans of the HBO show Game of Thrones use photos of themselves sitting proudly atop an Iron Throne replica for their online dating profile pictures. But what's the symbolic meaning of the sword chair? We sent a correspondent to the heart of it: a Game of Thrones-themed pop-up bar in DC, and consulted an expert, Isaac Butler, to figure out how we should swipe on Thone-shots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's the biggest difference between dating in LA and dating in NYC? Our running theory: there's more making out, usually in or near cars. We'll offer advice for Angelenos with help from TV kissing expert, Erica Rose. Then, Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, West Wing Weekly) and Lindsey Mortensen (Larsen & Lund) tell us about their whirlwind bi-coastal courtship.  You can listen to "Accidents" by The One AM Radio again on their website. To see photos from our live show, visit whyohwhyradio.com. This live show was made possible by Bonobos. If you want to find clothing that will fit you better than you ever imagined, and get 20% off your first purchase, visit bonobos.com/whyohwhy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, we went on the road to tape live shows at Bonobos Guideshops in NYC, Chicago, and LA. And in true Why Oh Why fashion, we asked our audience to tell us their deepest secrets in makeshift confessional booths set up inside the dressing rooms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices