Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Karo and Matt are famously extroverts – but today they’re taking all of their friendmaking tips and hacks and discussing how they can be used by introverts too!! They break down what works, what doesn’t, and the unique strengths introverts bring to building real friendships. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com...

Matt and Karo kick off the new year by discussing those friends that somehow still drive us crazy. We know they're likely to show up two hours late or not at all, yet we keep inviting them, keep hoping for them to change. Is there a solution that doesn't involve just cutting them out of their lives, because let's face it, many of them are super fun and can be great friends....when they bother to s...

Another year of friendship is in the books and guys look back on how well they did on their 2025 resolutions (mixed bag) as well as make their New Year’s resolutions for 2026. Res-BRO-lutions is a registered trademark of Man of the Year. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTub...

Matt and Karo interview Jourdann Lubliner, the founder of Doubles Social, the hit friendship app for couples to meet, to find out what the hype is all about. Would you and your partner go online to make friends? We explore all the pros and cons of a new way to make friends. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com...

Karo and Matt discuss friendships between people who seem like total opposites - from different worlds, backgrounds, or stages of life. We break down why these connections sometimes click, when they can get tricky, and the signs that help you tell the difference. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the...

Have we become so transactional that we've forgotten the value of Useless friends? We kid. Everyone has some "use." But this week is about praising the friends whose company we keep just...because. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on...

When your friends hang out without you, the sting of FOMO hits hard. Karo and Matt dig into why it feels so personal and what it really says about your relationships. And when you’re the one who plans something and has to leave people out, we unpack the guilt and how to handle both sides with clarity and kindness. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! G...

Matt and Karo head home to celebrate the 22nd year of the greatest friendship ritual on Earth: the Man of the Year dinner at Peter Luger Steakhouse. A crew of friends from second grade, one annual winner, and a trophy etched with names for life. At its core, it’s about how tradition anchors friendship and removes the guesswork. That’s why we’re such big believers in creating your own ritual. Check...

Instead of trying to turn complete strangers into friends, we recommend starting with “fringe friends” – acquaintances you already kinda know. Karo and Matt discuss where to find fringe friends and how to turn them into binge friends – buddies you see all the time. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of th...

We all have it easy when there are friends everywhere: in school, in the dorms, in your first apartment, at your office. But what happens as you get older and that surface area dwindles? Matt and Karo discuss how to handle it and make sure you have friends at all phases of life. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast...

In the second installment of their Friendship Myths series, Karo and Matt tackle whether friends should always take your side no matter what, if it’s possible to reconnect once you drift apart, and whether your friends should like all the same people you do. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year...

Matt and Karo discuss how in every friend group there's usually someone who takes the lead, so what does that leadership entail and what does it mean to be someone who models good friendship. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikT...

Huge day!! Our new Audible Original “The Buddy System: A Modern’s Man Guide to Mastering Friendship” is out now – exclusively at audible.com/thebuddysystem – and if that wasn’t cool enough, we appeared on Chrissy Teigen’s Audible podcast “Self-Conscious” where we were joined by none other than John Legend!! And you can hear that episode right in this feed! But first go check out The Buddy System!!...

Karo and Matt introduce the PALS test: a simple framework for evaluating whether a friendship truly serves you. The guys break down the four pillars—passion, appreciation, loyalty, and support—and explain how each reveals the strength of your connection. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on I...

Matt and Karo have vastly different styles in life, Karo plans everything and needs 6 weeks notice, Matt lives in the moment. We examine the pros and cons of each when it comes to friendship. Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikT...

Karo and Matt break down the three-man crew - why rolling three deep can feel like the sweet spot, and when it can backfire compared to pairs or bigger squads. It’s the ultimate debate: is three really the magic number for friendship? Check out our new Audible Original THE BUDDY SYSTEM! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube...

Matt and Karo discuss a taboo topic: Territorial friends. Ever have a scenario where you're getting boxed out or frozen out from a friend's friend or a friend group? We discuss why this happens and how to deal with it. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and X Aaron Karo on...

Karo and Matt celebrate their 150th episode AND their friendiversary! The guys discuss how to determine and why to celebrate the exact day you and your buddy became boys. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and X Aaron Karo on Instagram , TikTok , and  X Hosted by Simplecast...

Matt and Karo discuss Matt's first poker night in 20 years and the benefits of a game night and how needed it really was for all the dads at the table. All those fun game nights you used to do, well, it turns out, you still can. They discuss the etiquette of poker night, should you let anyone in your home if its outdoors, when can you leave when you're up big, all the little rules we all forgot. W...

When was the last time you asked your buddy how he’s REALLY doing? This episode dives into friendship, vulnerability, and why men’s mental health deserves more than a passing “I’m fine.” Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and X Aaron Karo on Instagram , TikTok , and  X Host...

Matt and Karo discuss a very frequent issue that no one ever talks about, sometimes you're just in a friendship dry spell. Like dating, these things happen, so you need to take action to snap out of it. We discuss how long is too long, is there an equivalent of a slumpbuster for friendship and what to say and do to get yourself back into a good friendship rhythm. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get...

Karo and Matt dive into the world of “social sports” – the games designed as much for connection as competition. From pickleball to padel to tennis, we explore how the court can become a friendship hub. So grab your paddle and your pals, because it’s all about playing together. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and Tik...

Matt and Karo discuss the old axiom that you are the five people you spend the most time with. Is it true? And if it is, what does that say about you? Do you need to level up your five? Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and X Aaron Karo on Instagram , TikTok , and X Hosted...

Matt’s wife goes into labor in the middle of the night and Matt calls Karo for help – but Karo doesn’t pick up! Today on the pod we discuss who to choose as your emergency contact, and the importance of friendship first responders. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram , TikTok , and X A...

It's a touchy subject! But are we missing out on the benefits of physical contact with our friends. Matt and Karo discussed the pros and cons of how our society is compared to others past and present when it comes to the touchy feely stuff of friendship. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram , YouTube , and TikTok Matt Ritter on Insta...