Noel's Good Friend Show

Noel and Brandon talk about money, friendship, and why splitting the check can somehow reveal everything you need to know about a person. They get into income differences between friends, choosing plans everybody can actually afford, lending money without turning into a debt collector, keeping up appearances, and the pressure to spend just to stay included. Plus, why money gets so awkward when nob...

Noel and Maria talk about frenemies, what happens when a real friendship starts to turn competitive, and how to tell when somebody might not actually be rooting for you. They also get into matching energy, putting a friend on a PIP, backhanded compliments, keeping certain parts of your life private, and when it’s better to just create some distance. Plus, friends who keep score, people who are nic...

Noel and Olivia talk about growing up as creative kids and turning solitary hobbies into actual careers. They also get into jealousy between artists, unsolicited feedback, sharing work before it feels finished, and whether you should support a friend whose work you privately think is bad. Plus, how to collaborate without fighting over credit, how to stop treating your friends like competition, and...

Noel and Robert talk coming out, family acceptance, internalized homophobia, gay men being just a little too competitive, and why so many queer friendships start on dating apps. They also get into whether you should sleep with your friends, when banter crosses the line into being mean, hooking up within the friend group, keeping different social circles separate, and how to make friends in a new c...

Noel and Brandon talk about how friend groups actually form, why airport pickups are the true test of friendship, and how being friends with the group is not always the same as being friends with everyone in it. They also get into secret group chats, staying neutral when two friends fall out, what to do about the one person everyone is always complaining about, and why bringing your partner into t...

Good Friend Show with Noel returns for a new season, The Company You Keep, with Noel and his friend Olivia discussing how friendships form, what our social circles say about us, the value of third spaces, museums, co-working clubs, and whether we choose our friends intentionally or simply keep showing up in the same places. They also help listeners including a man replaced as best man before a wed...

Gavon inspired Noel to start this podcast — but what happens when the friend who pushed you to speak finally joins the conversation? In the season finale, Noel and Gavon reflect on the times friendship stepped up when family fell short. As two gay men, they share how they’ve navigated complicated relationships with their families, and the unexpected ways friends have offered love, safety, and unde...

Derrick and Olivia are back, and we’re talking about life in the Big Apple! In this episode, Noel, Derrick, and Olivia reflect on their moves to New York City and how the city changes your approach to friendship. They talk about the hustle of trying to “make it,” the shifting expectations around connection in a place that never stops moving, and how finding your people can make all the difference....

Mareya's back on the show to chat with Noel about "The Lost Years" AKA the 7-year period when they weren't in touch after graduating from high school. In this episode, they reflect on their time apart. They break down the process of finding their way back to each other, the slow rebuilding of presence in each other's lives, and how rekindling their bond also helped them recon...

Noel and Ty met through mutual friends but can party friends become real friends? In this episode, they break down the dynamics of nightlife friendships: Are they just for the moment, or can they grow into something deeper? They also talk about Ty’s event series, Ty’s Third Thursdays (or 3T ), and how working on it together helped strengthen their bond. Finally, they explore the value of creativel...

Noel and Olivia just so happened to move into the same building – but how did these two friendly neighbors become true friends? In this episode, they reflect on their early relationships with neighbors as kids, shaped by where their parents chose to live. They then break down the evolution of their own friendship, from proximity to familiarity to the intentional choice to be friends. Finally, they...

Noel reunites with his college friend Miranda to talk about the unique experience of making friends in university — where proximity makes connections easy, but not always deep. They reflect on how maintaining friendships after graduation requires more intentionality and how they’ve navigated staying in touch while leading busy, separate lives. They also explore the importance of honoring each othe...

Noel is joined by his friend and mentor, Brandon, to talk about the vital role friendships play in the lives of gay men. They reflect on how Brandon helped Noel envision the kind of life he could have after college, much like the mentor who once guided Brandon into queer community. Together, they explore the importance of found family, the ways friendships become a form of survival, and the challe...

Noel sits down with his friend Keith to talk about the unique dynamics of workplace friendships. They dive into the pros and cons of bonding with coworkers — the support, the camaraderie, and the challenge of staying true to yourself in environments that often demand a curated professional persona. They also unpack the ways workplace culture can make friendships feel competitive, even when they’re...

In this episode of Noel’s Good Friend Show, Derrick joins Noel to talk about friendships that take a turn for the worse. They share how they met — after Noel took a leap of faith sharing a vulnerable moment, which Derrick met with his own openness. Together, they explore what happens when good friendships go bad, how to navigate the fallout, and whether to reconcile or let go.

In the premiere episode of Noel’s Good Friend Show, Noel and Mareya kick things off by reflecting on how they met and their experiences making friends as kids. They dive into the foundations of good friendship—what makes a good friend, what gets in the way, and why friendships matter now more than ever. Wrapping up, they share their hopes for the future of the show and the conversations to come.