Giving Up

At long last, Giving Up returns for a fifth (!) season delivering the millennial-coded and restaurant-adjacient content you crave. To celebrate the premier, our crew ditches the usual episode format in favor of a robust lore update.  Consumption: Alex:  The Ministry of Time Youngmi: Too Much JdB: Unshrunk Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG...

This is the way season four ends, not with a bang but with a "weirdly ok." Alex John and Youngmi discuss the emotions that are topping them this week before discussing the topic of memory. Consumption: Alex: Last of Us Finale Youngmi: "Bad Influence" JdB: Oreo Mega Stuff and Hostess Strawberry Cupcakes Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG pro...

On this, the penultimate episode of season 4, the crew explores a listener-submitted question about an all-too common occurence in hospitality spaces: when customers feel entitled to comment on—and touch—workers' bodies. Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously . Consumption: Yo...

In what is sure to be a therapeutic episode for many, Youngmi, Alex, and John discuss their restaurant pet peeves! Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously . Consumption: Alex: Brown and Friends JdB: Jurassic World Dominion Youngmi: My Big Fat G--y Wedding

The aftershocks of Mic Noise Gate continue to reverberate as the crew tackles the very chill and uncontreversial topic of RELIGON. Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our  IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously . Consumption: Alex: Parable of the Sower JdB: Mickey 17 Youngmi: Stop Kiss

Giving Up returns for the second half of the fourth season with a new timeslot: Friday! This week's topic is ANGER.  And speaking of anger, please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our  IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously . Consumption: Alex: Katy Perry going to space JdB: The Last of Us Season 2 Youngmi: Dream Scenar...

We've given up! (For a week.) Welcome to the mid-season finale of Giving Up, where the crew takles such topics as John's iced tea-induced insomnia and the way that the changing media landscape has affected restaurants, particularly in the context of Youngmi starting a TikTok account for Mission Chinese Food .  No episode next week. But as always, please send us your advice questions! And topic sug...

This week's top emotion segment features a harrowing tale of an almost-sucessful phishing attempt before the crew discusses the recent book review of two restaurant-centric memoirs.  Then they tackle the topic of patrons stealing items from restaurants. Don't do it! Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@g...

With all the pieces in place, episode three finally debuts the show's new format in full.  Starting with a mildly homoerotic Top Emotion segement before getting into the episode's main topic: DRUGS.  The advice question has the crew tackling the nuanced etiquite for bringing children to "nice" restaurants. Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG...

Like the inexorable march of time, season 4 marches on as the crew talks about ~personal branding~ in the age of social media before tackling this epsiode's main topic: skin care, and how a lot of it is actually BS. Please send us your advice questions! And topic suggestions! Send us a voice note via our IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously .   Consuming: Alex -...

We're baa~ack!  At long last, the crew has dusted off their mics and re-learned how to make podcasts. Season 4 starts with a somewhat free-from episode where a new format for the season takes place in real time.  We still want your advice questions, however! Send us a voice note via our IG profile , email them to givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously . Media: JdB: Severance Youngmi: Love is...

After taking a few weeks off, the crew triumphantly returns to record the final episode of season 3. Starting off with a robust discussion of everyone's current gripes before adressing an advice question about nuerodivergence among restaurant workers.  See you all in 2025 for season 4!    Media: Youngmi - Cold Case Alex - Lost Children JdB - Somebody Somewhere

The first post-election episode discusses the aftermath of the most recent election before going into a more on-topic restaurant subject.    Media:  JdB - The Boyfriend Alex - Extremely American Youngmi - Right-Wing YouTube

The crew comiserates about the upcoming election and Alex's recovery from Covid before diving into the Simu Liu Boba Tea controversy. The advice section discusses a common fear among the dining public.  Media: Alex - Somebody Somewhere JdB - Angela Collier Youngmi - Escape at Dannemora   Send us your advice questions! givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously .

The tables have turned! This episode features confessions from John, Youngmi, and Alex about the times they were the embarrasing restaurant guests.   Media:   JdB - Ariana Grande's SNL Episode Youngmi - Love Is Blind (still) Alex - Random Guys on TikTok   Send us your advice questions! givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously .

The usual segments are largely abandoned in favor of a deep dive of the recent TikTok-based cake controversy where an amateur cake maker accused an NYC restaurant of pilfering uneaten cake.   Media: Youngmi - Love Is Blind Alex - Mr. McMahon JdB - Interview with the Vampire   Send us your advice questions! givingupthepod@gmail.com or send anonymously .

The crew kicks off by trying to figure out who exactly the "Silent Generation" is that segues into a discussion of World War 2. The Thunderdome yields a discussion of Lana Del Rey's new husband and the advice section touches on a very niche concern of restaurant people: what the tipping etiquette is when invited in for a friends and family meal before a new restaurant opens.    Media: Alex - Monst...

This episode starts with an exploration of self image and then John talks about how he's sad and mad about a tree. The Thunderdome make its triumphant return and features a discussion of Priya Krishna's article about drink customization which dovetails nicely to the advice question about getting into bartending and if bartending school is worth it.    Media: Alex -  In the Dark Youngmi - Sex and t...

The crew starts out talking about the humiliations of job interviews and then about how people talk about punctuality online. The Thunderdome is waived (gasp) in order to give proper time to an advice question about aging in the restaurant industry.    Media:  Alex - Civil War Youngmi - Uglies JdB - EUSEXUA

The crew somewhat flinches on their commitment to talking more about restaurants by spending the episode discussing aging, perimenipaus and ambivalently critiquing astrology. However, and advice question regrounds in the topic of reporting toxic behavior in the restaurant workplace.    Media:  JdB: Trap Alex: Animal Crossing Youngmi: The Deliverance    

And we're back with season three! The crew's made a soft pivot towards content that reflects their restaurant-adjacient millenial identities. The Thunderdome leads to a conversation about outgoing New York Times restaurant critic Pete Well's farewell column .  Media: Alex - Kevin Can F*ck Himself Youngmi - Love Island UK JdB - Drag Race Philippines

Every ten episodes a new seaon begins, apparently. On this, the last episode of season 2, the crew debates the RNC-related Grindr spike in Milwaukee , communal tables in restaurants and answers an advice question that has it all: dead mothers, intergenerational conflict, and restaurant etiquitte.  Don't forget to send us your advice questions! DM us on instagram , email us givingupthepod@gmail.com...

John and Youngmi begin by recounting their witnessing of the deadly July 4h incident on the Lower East Side where a drunk driver drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people. The crew then discusses the pros and cons of social media-based mental health diagnoses before tackling an advice question about not ending up where you though you'd be.    Media:  Youngmi - A Quiet Place Part II John - Chain...

The crew begins by discussing the dynamics of emotional expression as it relates to gender expectations and neuroatypicality. The topic of mid-life crises re-emerges before a Thunderdome focusing on how to best think about receiving critical feedback. The advice section takles the oset of adult financial concerns.  [Sorry about the audio at the beginning! John's mic was turned off lol] Media:  Ale...

The crew kicks off with a discussion of what makes good service in restaurants and how long to hold on to anger. The chat dives even deeper into restaurant gripes in the Thunderdome. The advice question centers on parenting self-assured children.    Media:  John: The Boys Alex: Dallas Cowboys Documentary Youngmi: The Rachel Divide